Millennium Magazine_3rdEd

SITTING DOWN Unless you’ve been living in a cave for most of your life, you are well aware of the fact that sitting for a long period of time can be detrimental to your health. Many Americans spend their days doing just that. They work at jobs that require them to sit down at a desk all day, which means that it is important to find ways to minimize the harmful effect of constant sitting. Excessive sitting can causemajor problems with your metabolism. It prevents your body frommanufacturing the chemicals needed to process sugars and fats. Long periods of sitting can also give you a higher chance of developing health conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases. There are studies that point out that men who sit for more than 6 hours in a day have amortality rate that is 20%higher than others. When it comes to females, the rate is 40%. Ouch. STANDINGUP In light of this information, it would seem that the solution is towork while standing, right?Wrong. Standing up while working does have several advantages over sitting, but it is not a perfect solution. It too can cause health problems. Standing while working can contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome, which can cause a great amount of pain in your wrist. When you are standing at your computer, your wrist is typically forced to extendmore than when you are sitting, which can exacerbate the problem. Of course, this does depend on the desk you buy. Additionally, standing for a long period of time can cause pooling of blood in your legs and slow the return of blood to your heart. This can cause your legs to swell which can cause blood clots to develop. THE SOLUTION The solution towhether to sit or stand is doing both. The best way to promote ergonomic health is to be seated when you are doing your computer work and taking short breaks to stand and move around. When it comes to ergonomic health, the rule of thumb is to take a short 2-3 minute break every 20-30minutes. Staymobile during your breaks; it won’t benefit you if you simply stand stationary at your desk. Another option is to invest in a sit-stand desk. These desks can be raised up to a standing height, or lowered to a sitting height. This way, you can the best of both worlds. Regardless of the way you choose to do your work, remember that being stationary is dangerous for your health. If you take simple steps to ensure that you have time tomove around, it will go a long way towardsmaking you a healthier and more productive individual. vs The Great Ergonomic Debate When you’re working, which position is best: standing or sitting? There are several differing theories on this issue. While both sitting and standing have their advantages, they each have disadvantages as well. If you follow the advice given in this article, it will decrease pain and discomfort. It can even help you lose weight!