Sitting down for most of the day is obviously bad for us, known to raise our risk of type 2 diabetes, cancer and even an early death. However, it’s largely unavoidable for those of us with desk-based jobs.
Too much sitting is also detrimental for our mental health, a study from sportswear company Asics has found. Survey results from more than 7000 desk-based workers found that mood drops after just two hours and stress spikes four hours in. However, taking a 15-minute exercise break reverses these effects.
Taking a midday stroll or jog can vastly improve your health at work.Credit: Joe Armao
Professor Brendon Stubbs, a researcher in movement and mental wellbeing at King’s College London, who led the study, says incorporating movement into our working day – among other healthy habits – could be game-changing. “Each habit can contribute to positive mental health, and the more people do, especially over time, the greater the physical and mental health benefits,” he says.
Here, he shares his top tips.
8am: Read a book on your commute instead of scrolling social media. Most of us are spending up to nine hours of our day sitting down. If you’re seated for your commute, at least make sure you’re engaging your brain, Stubbs says.
“It is passive sedentary behaviour (such as sitting down to watch Netflix or scroll social media) and not active sedentary behaviour (sitting down to read a book or play a game, for example) that is particularly not good for our mental health,” he explains.
Swap your afternoon biscuit for a bar of dark chocolate, a healthier option that can lift your mood.
A study from Stubbs and colleagues which looked at the self-reported health habits and medical notes of around 40,000........