Is the office killing you?
Research shows that sedentary desk work can put you at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack. Here’s how you can get moving at the office
What would you say if we told you that your work life was slowly but surely killing you? The grim truth just may keep the grim reaper at bay as health experts warn of the dangerous repercussions of leading a sedentary life.
“Do you know sitting is the new smoking?” warns Dubaibased physiotherapist Jameela Ezzi, from Just Physio. “You may not be smoking daily but your prolonged seating habits are exposing you to this health hazard.”
According to Ezzi, studies show individuals are at a 60 per cent higher risk of getting heart attacks, a 60 per cent higher risk of diabetes and cancer as well. “All of it has been linked just to sitting for long periods,” Ezzi stresses. “You come to work and you are in this corporate environment and sit for eight to 10 hours. You’re trying to meet your given targets and goals. This kind of lifestyle must undergo a change.”
According to the Dubai Health Authority, heart disease is the number one cause of death in the emirate today. A report by the World Health Organisation on the UAE further lists that non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular issues, cancers, respiratory diseases and diabetes account for 65.2 per cent of all deaths.
The benefits of lowintensity physical activity such as standing, walking or doing household chores, can be more health beneficial than once thought. According to a recent study by the Karolinska Institutet published in the journal Clinical Epidemiology, replacing half an hour’s sedentariness a day with everyday activity reduces the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease by 24 per cent.
“It is essential for one’s health to get moving and keep it that way throughout the work day,” says Ezzi. “This is not the time for excuses; it’s the time for action.”
The physiotherapist shares lifestyle tips and tricks that can be incorporated into the daily work schedule to make your office environment healthier.