Today more and more people have a job where they sit all day. According to science, it is therefore important to walk during your working hours. But how often do you have to do that exactly to compensate?
Some of us are blessed at work with a desk that raises and lowers (we are those happy campers). But if that is not possible, it is important to stretch your legs, because sedentary work is absolutely not good for your body.
Science gives good tips about walking at work
The risk of sedentary work is obvious. It’s not for nothing that sitting is called the ‘new smoking’. According to studies, it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, increases blood pressure, increases the risk of cancer and causes other health problems.
Recent research, published Jan. 12 in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, shows that a solution may be quite simple. It is recommended to walk around for five minutes after 30 minutes of sedentary work.
Thorough research with various tests
As befits good science, multiple tests were done. Five different ‘rest snacks’ were tried for the study: short physical activities. Various moments were considered. Walk one minute after thirty minutes of sitting, one minute after sixty minutes, five minutes after thirty minutes, five minutes after sixty minutes, and no walking at all.
“If we hadn’t compared multiple options and varied the frequency and duration of exercise, we would have been guessing at the optimal routine,” says Keith Diaz. He is a co-author of the study and a professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
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Eleven people participated in the study and worked all day in an ergonomic chair. The participants were all around 40, 50 and 60 years old. None of them had complaints such as hypertension or diabetes. In addition, they had to be able to read, work on a laptop, use their telephone ‘normally’ and they received standard meals.
Particularly high results thanks to walking
The participants then adhered to the above test methods. Then a piece of walking on a treadmill or toilet breaks were accurately measured. None of them moved more or less than promised. The researchers also measured their blood pressure and sugar levels.
It showed that five minutes of exercise after every thirty minutes of sedentary work significantly reduced blood pressure and sugar levels. It also had a big impact after eating a big meal. It managed to reduce sugar spikes by 58 percent compared to the people who sat for eight hours.
Great tips thanks to science
Science also has useful tips. If you do have a meeting (and it is possible) do a walking meeting with colleagues. In addition, take the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator. There are also countless apps for your smartphone or smartwatch that help you remember to take a walk.
But it doesn’t always have to be walking. In addition, box squats are also recommended, or that you do some push-ups or planks.
We do stick to walking, but this is certainly useful to know. It is of course also important to find mental peace. These apps can help with that.
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Science is clear: you have to walk that much to compensate for sitting for half an hour