Hyderabad: The prevalence of desk jobs in the market has been a significant concern in recent years due to the negative impact they can have on employees’ physical and mental health. A Hyderabad based doctor made some crucial suggestions to employees in order to make work life more sustainable.
Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist who is popular for imparting knowledge on health issues online, made these 7 important suggestions to desk job employees.
List of suggestions for desk job employees
1. Take standing or walking breaks for 2-3 minutes every 30-40 minutes,
2. Standing work desks are available; you could try using them,
3. Stand during coffee breaks, instead of sitting,
4. If you need to talk to a colleague or superior in your office, walk up to their desk, rather than calling them or sending a WhatsApp message,
5. During meetings, only the presenter stands; and the rest (audience) sits and has coffee with snacks. Instead, all can stand. Serve only coffee without “Good Day” or “Karachi Bakery” biscuits.
6. Reduce leisure time (off-office hours) sitting. Minimize watching TV.
7. Convert one hour (per day) of sitting time into physical activity (such as walking).
Sitting as bad as obesity and smoking
Sitting for prolonged periods, often required by many jobs, can seriously jeopardize your health and even shorten your lifespan to a degree comparable to the risks posed by obesity and smoking, Dr Sudhir Kumar said.
Dr Sudhir Kumar, who is popular for issuing health advisories on platform X, said that 60-75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity daily (such as brisk walking, running or cycling) can counter the ill effects of prolonged sitting.
“If you sit for more than 13 hours daily, doing exercise also can not counter the ill-effects posed by prolonged sitting. Health hazards associated with prolonged sitting are: Increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, abdominal adiposity (obesity), elevated LDL cholesterol & triglycerides, heart attack, stroke, cancer and premature death.
Desk-based work environments often lead to prolonged periods of sitting, which can increase the risk of chronic metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and high blood pressure.
“Sedentary time of >6 hours per day is associated with increased incidence of several non-communicable diseases, many of them are serious and/or disabling. These include: 1. Migraine, 2. Rheumatoid arthritis, 3. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 4. Chronic liver disease, 5. Diabetes, 6. Depression, 7. Chronic kidney disease, 8. Asthma, 9. Thyroid disorders, 10. Gout, 11. Diverticular disease, 12. Ischemic heart disease,” Dr Sudhir added.
Research has shown that office workers sit for approximately 66% of their working days, with only 8% successfully interrupting prolonged periods of sitting within the first 55 minutes.
This sedentary behaviour can have severe consequences, including increased mortality rates and decreased vitality and mental health.
