READ THIS STANDING UP!
In our evolutionary past, the average day may have been spent hunting wild animals, foraging food, building shelters and fending off predators. Our caveman ancestors walked everywhere on their own two feet and performed tasks manually, because there was no other option and that’s what they had to do to survive. As our brains developed and we moved through the stone age, the bronze age, and the iron age, we found easier ways to do things. With the later introduction of machines, tools and technology, the need to exert physical effort to achieve a task greatly diminished. We are now in the information age, and moving less than ever before.
We sandwich extended periods in front of our computer screens at work between more time spent sitting - in the car, train or bus on the way to and from work (and in Auckland this commute can take over a hour each way!). When you get home, you’re sitting down at the table for dinner. Maybe moving to the couch to watch a show on TV, scroll through Facebook, read a book, or more computer work. To carry out our daily necessities often requires no more than the touch of a button - starting the dishwasher or washing machine, filling a cup with clean water, ordering dinner straight from your phone. When you think about it, how many hours of the day do you spend sitting down? How much activity is actually required to survive these days?
Chronic disease is on the rise, as are our waistlines, BMI’s, cholesterol levels… And is it any surprise, given that most people spend more time sitting than they do moving? Worksafe Australia believes that even sitting for longer than half an hour at a time without a break can promote health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, musculoskeletal issues, cancer and mental illness!
What’s really interesting though is the fact that the risks associated with sitting are independent of the risks associated with lack of physical activity. This means that even if you are getting in your recommended weekly exercise time, it does not entirely combat the risks to your health of sitting down all day. We call this type of lifestyle the “active couch potato”. I’m sorry to tell you that your half hour run this morning does not negate the effects of 8 hours behind the desk.
Sounds pretty bleak huh… What to do about this?!
Break up your sedentary time. Get up every hour (or more if possible!), go for a little walk, do a few star jumps and get the heart rate up. Try a sit to stand desk, where you can alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day. Take the opportunities to fit more activity into your day - like climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, walking to the local shops instead of driving, or riding your bike to work. Don’t under-estimate the benefit of fitting these extra little pockets of movement and activity into your day!
And if you ever get really stuck, just think - ‘WWACD’. What would a caveman do?