Are you a “desk jockey?” Many people are these days. Instead of moving around, they spend hours perched in a chair staring at a computer monitor. At the end of the day, these hardworking men and women go home feeling fatigued, despite the fact they’ve sat for eight hours straight. Doing a daily workout certainly burns calories and endurance, but it doesn’t compensate for too much sitting. Here’s some news you may not want to hear. Sitting in and of itself causes problems, even if you exercise. Discover five ways a desk job harms your health and what to do about it.
A Desk Job Increases Your Risk for Heart Disease
The latest research shows sitting more hours during the day is an independent risk factor for heart disease. This means sitting at a desk is bad for your heart even if you do a formal workout. The worst situation is where you’re confined to a desk for long periods without getting up to move around and stretch. When you sit for uninterrupted periods of time, the activity of an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, or LPL, in muscle tissue decreases. As a result, muscles can’t take up triglycerides from your bloodstream as efficiently. This has a negative impact on lipid metabolism. In fact, one study showed a decrease in LPL activity was linked with a five times increased risk of heart disease. Staying active, by not sitting too long, improves the activity of muscle cell LPL and is better for your heart.
A Desk Job Can Cause Varicose Veins
When you sit at your desk without moving around, blood collects in your lower legs. This places pressure on the valves that keep blood flowing back towards your heart rather than pooling in your calves. Over time, the valves and become damaged and varicosities develop. Veins can also “stretch” in response to the increased pressure placed on them. Yikes!
Is there a solution? Getting up and moving around keeps blood from collecting in your calves and reduces pressure on the valves. Prolonged sitting increases your risk for a more serious problem involving the deep veins in your legs – blood clots. When blood pools, it’s more likely to clot. Blood clots are risky because one can dislodge and make its way to your lungs where it can be fatal. If you take certain medications including hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills, you’re at greater risk for blood clots. That’s why getting up every 20 minutes or so and walking around is a “must do” for your health.
A Desk Job Can Cause Back Pain
Sitting at a desk changes the alignment of your spine. Your thoracic spine has a natural kyphosis or outward curvature of the spine. This curvature helps it deal with the weight of your body. Sitting slumped over a desk forces your thoracic spine to assume an unnatural curvature or hyper-kyphosis that places stress on your spine. Forcing your spine into an unnatural position increases your risk for back pain and stiffness. Excessive kyphosis can lead to other problems including bad posture and neck and shoulder pain. Weight training works in your favor by strengthening the muscles and ligaments in your back. So does core training. Keep doing those things, but make some changes at the office too.
Set up your work station so your body is in proper alignment when you sit at your desk. Your back should be straight when you sit in your chair and your computer monitor should be about 20 degrees lower than your line of sight. Your neck should be straight when you look at the screen. Keep your feet flat on the floor and facing forward. Just as importantly, get up and stretch and walk around as often as possible so you aren’t frozen in the same position for too long.
A Desk Job Increased Risk of Diabetes
Just as sitting increases your risk for heart disease, it puts you at greater risk for type 2 diabetes as well. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows women who sit seven or more hours a day are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes. In this study, sitting was linked with increased levels of blood markers for inflammation. Inflammation may increase the risk for a number of health problems including heart disease and some forms of cancer. The take-home message? Move around more during the day!
A Desk Job Can Cause Eye Strain
If your desk job involves computer work, it can affect your vision too. When you work for long periods of time in front of a monitor, you don’t blink as often. As a result, you don’t lubricate your eyes and they become dry and irritated. Simply staring at a bright screen for too long can strain your eyes. Ever experience blurred vision, headache, watery eyes or increased sensitivity to light after working at the computer? Could be eye strain. When you take breaks to walk or stretch, it gets the blood flowing AND gives your eyes a rest. Train yourself to look away from your monitor as often as possible to reduce your risk for eye strain. Buy a bottle of lubricant eye drops and use them several times a day to keep your eyes moist. Be sure to get a regular eye exam too. Eye strain symptoms may be a sign you need eyeglasses.
The Bottom Line?
A desk job may be a secure way to make a living but it’s not so good for your health. Move more throughout the day and take frequent breaks. If possible, elevate your computer so you can stand while working instead of sitting. You’ll burn 30 to 40 more calories per hour in a standing position. Strengthen your back muscles and core to protect your back and set your work station up so it’s ergonomically friendly. More movement during the day will reduce fatigue so you get more done too. Don’t let your desk job negatively impact your health.
References:
Curr Opin Cardiol. 2011 Sep;26(5):412-9. doi: 10.1097/HCO.0b013e3283496605.
September 1, 2003, The Journal of Physiology, 551, 673-682.
The Sports Injury Doctor. “Thoracic Spine: Sitting, slouching and sport”
DrWeil.com. “Are You Risking Diabetes by Sitting Too Much?”
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