James Levine, a doctor of Endocrinology at the Mayo Clinic, researched the adverse effects of sitting in front of a computer:
- leg muscles shut down or back pain
- blood pressure increases
- good cholesterol plummets
- possible development of diabetes or cardiovascular diseases
- eye strain, headaches and mental fatigue
- poor sleep quality and depression
“Excessive sitting is a lethal activity,” said Levine, who has studied sedentary behavior for nearly 20 years.
Small changes can dramatically improve one’s health. The real solution is to move all day. This can be done by walking the hallways, climbing stairs, squatting, and stretching our bodies at work.
Sticking with a small movement plan can decrease stress and increase productivity by 15%. A great way to start is to get digital help.
There are many fitness wearables, phones and apps that can assist you in being healthy and fit. Some free apps that help in this regard include:
- Move – Daily Activity to Stay Healthy (iOS)
- Stand Up! The Work Break Timer (iOS)
- Randomly RemindMe (Android)
- Stretching Exercises – Flexibility Training (Android)
- Awareness (Mac, Windows)
- Healthier: Break Reminder (Mac)
- Big Stretch Reminder (Windows)
- EyeLeo (Windows)
- Workrave (Windows)