The computer has brought us many blessings but has a big disadvantage. Once crept behind the screen appears difficult to come back from. The computer the hours fly by, and it now appears that this sitting behavior is not without HAZARDS our health. About sitting too long is much to do lately where even statements like “sitting are the new smoking” are frequently heard. By prolonged sitting is the body in a rest position making it more susceptible to all kinds of diseases of civilization. With some self-discipline and application of innovative tools to absenteeism due to long sitting may be limited. Provide timely move or work standing behind your computer.
The alarming facts
8 to 11 hours per day increases the risk of premature death by 15%. For those more than 11 hours per day is the percentage jumps to 40%. This is evidenced by extensive research of Hidde van der Ploeg, a researcher at the VU University Amsterdam and the University of Sydney. “Sitting is deadly,” Van der Ploeg said in a broadcast of A today. His findings are confirmed by the results of eighteen studies involving 800,000 people who were compared by the University of Leicester. The findings of this study are published in the scientific journal. A striking result of the study is that people who exercise regularly not remain immune from the effects of the long sitting. Sunday morning run or cycle compensates for the many sit on a day so unfortunately not. The increased risk of diabetes arises because during sitting our largest muscles, the leg muscles, are not used. As a result, sugar and fat are not well absorbed from the blood, thereby reducing the risk is increased in the development of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases as well.
Netherlands’s champion ‘sit’ in the European Union
Although Dutch see themselves as an active cycling folk, they turn out in practice for a long time to hold the legs. It turns out that 45.6% of the Dutch population aged 15 years seven hours or more per day spent sitting. Our country is home to this most of the European Union. In comparison to our German neighbors applies here a duration of 5.8 hours for the Belgians, this number is 5.7 hours. People in our country and Denmark are even down 25% longer than 8.5 hours per day. Portuguese, Italians and Spaniards are significantly less often; only 6% is more than 8.5 hours per day. Possibly this has to do with a lesser general availability of computers or laptops.
The United States is at the forefront of movement in the workplace
In the United States, a country with a huge number of people with obesity and diabetes, the problem of the many sitting much longer recognized and the attention. Because sick employees cost of money, bike stations, and even treadmill desks here become much more part of a vitality radiating office. Kantoormeubelen- giant Steelcase turnover of treadmill desks from 2011 to 2015 more than doubled to more than $ 40 million. Steelcase can count companies Chevron, Apple, Google, Intel and Boeing to its customers.
Although the wave problem in the Netherlands is less high on the agenda, there are positive developments. Dutch Institute for Sport and Exercise (NISB) is actively engaged in exercise at work. An example of this is the use of a treadmill during long conference calls. According to Peter-Jan Mol, adviser NISB research has shown that people run or cycle up to 30% faster reads the documents. Another interesting novelty is the desks bike developed by TNO. On this desk, a bicycle can already kick, surfed and telephoned mailed.
An additional benefit of this change from sitting to standing or moving is that the workplace moves. People come easily in contact with each other, creating more space for creativity and inspiration. This ultimately increases the productivity of workers.
What can the worker himself to creating a healthy workplace
- Rise after every half an hour from here on your chair and make ten quiet squats. Wait a minute and then add ten more.
- Ask your employer for a height adjustable desk so that you can work standing.
- Provide two liters of water intake per day. The toilet creates movement.
- Walk every hour as the up or down stairs and take a breath of fresh air at the front door.
- Take a walk with a colleague during lunch break.
- Take the bike to go to work. Ask for a bicycle with your employer.