Desk jobs can be hard on you because they often come with deadlines, stressors, and long hours. Unfortunately, this leads to physical issues because sitting at a desk for long periods of time is bad for the body. Just like other professions have their health hazards, desk jobs come with its own and being aware of these hazards will allow you to keep your health in check for years to come. It doesn’t take a manual labor job to put your body at risk for physical health hazards; sitting for hours on end will do it for you. Take a look at what kinds of health issues happen from desk jobs and how you can live a healthy life with yours.
What kinds of health issues come up
When it comes to desk jobs, you aren’t risking your life like someone in the line of duty, risking pulling a muscle from heavy lifting like a medical professional might, or risking injury from standing for too long during the day like a waitress. Instead, you are weakening certain muscles from sitting, putting strain on your back, and tightening your joints. Sitting too long is one of the most common workplace hazards since the majority of jobs are at a desk for several hours each day. It can lead a higher risk of disease like heart disease and even shorten your life expectancy.
The good news is that there are ways to combat this problem with simple strategies. With around 80% of our country’s workforce being in a seated position for work all day, it’s more important than ever to make sure professionals are taking the time to care for their body to avoid a health issue pulling them out of work or away from their family life, and to avoid shortening their life expectancy from this poor health habit.
It’s actually been compared to the dangers of smoking for your health, in which in the short term it seems harmless but over time, it’s slowly causing the body to deteriorate. When you take the time to take a break every half hour from your desk to stand or walk around, you give your body a chance to circulate blood, stretch, and loosen up from any strains. When you choose the stairs over the elevator, you sneak in some exercise in your day so that if you miss the gym, you’ve gotten some sort of physical movement into your day.
Sometimes even parking farther away from the door or using a printer that is farther from your desk is all you need to remind your body to move around more often and keep your blood flowing. One of the best solutions though is the new standing desk, in which your computer and work space is setup to be at a standing height, which works to reduce back pain, chance of heart disease, improving energy levels, and improving mood.
Making a long-term plan
In addition to these daily solutions, be sure to make a long-term plan to combat desk job health hazards. Create the optimal work station in which your desk chair supports your back, your screen is a healthy distance from your face, and you maintain good posture. Be sure to exercise before a long day of work, get proper sleep, and maintain a healthy diet. In addition, seeing your chiropractor for regular adjustments will ensure that your spine is aligned and your back and neck aren’t overly strained causing headaches and other health issues.
Use these tips to make sure you are maintaining a healthy life with your desk job.
