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These days, our basic needs can be met with a quick click of a button. You can buy food online, shop for clothes, a car and a home – all without moving. Throw in TV, desk jobs and the Internet, and it’s no wonder we’re all in a health danger zone.
The more we sit, the higher our risk of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Start adding small movements to your day and reap the rewards of staying fit and healthy.
Move it
Too much sitting, also known as sedentary behaviour (sitting or lying down except when sleeping), can impair the function of the body’s healthy HDL cholesterol, which helps clean up plaque on the arteries.
The World Health Organization ranks physical inactivity alongside tobacco use and the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets as factors that increase the risk of dying from non-communicable diseases.
These kill over 41 million people each year. Being physically active improves your overall energy levels and endurance while your bones maintain strength. According to the Harvard Medical School, movement can impact your feelings too. Regular aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety by making your brain’s “fight or flight” system less reactive.
Every step counts
To get the best results from exercising you will need an action plan. The Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme Action-Planning Guide cites action planning as answering the following: how much, when and how often. There are various activities you can include in your daily life to increase mobility and reduce sedentary behaviour.
Track your progress on a calendar. Gradually increase your activity levels and over time, you’ll find that this becomes a habit. Before you start any physical activity, speak to your doctor about what may be suitable for you and find the best ways to increase your physical activity. You can do the following:
Action: Organise walking meetings (a meeting that takes place during a walk instead of in an office). Walking can help boost brain work and increase creative thinking.
Prompt: Schedule your meetings ahead of time, and check the weather beforehand.
Action plan: Have Monday morning meetings or mid-week debriefings outside and swap the boardroom environment for fresh air and sunshine. Movement fuels your circulation; and good circulation fuels your energy.
Action: Take public transport instead of driving to work. This will usually involve walking a short distance to the stop, standing in line or on the train and/or bus.
Prompt: Download the bus or train schedule and keep it handy.
Action: Stand up and stretch at your desk a couple of times a day. Getting up more from your desk during the day can be good for your health and your sanity.
Prompt: Stick a note on your desk as a reminder for every bathroom break to stretch for a minute.
Action plan: Sitting all day can drain your energy; regular stretches can energise you when you need it most. Try to do a few even in your chair. Keep your circulation going by fidgeting in your chair as you work. Move your legs under your desk.
