Work Smart. Work Healthier. Beat Stress.
Like most businesses, the first quarter of a new year is usually our busiest, with long days for all. We review last year, plan this year and of course ensure we are meeting the development needs of our team. So there has been a lot - and we mean A LOT - of sitting in K3 offices since the New Year, and we don’t mean the leisurely ‘cuppa in hand’ kind!
But we’ve noticed a few stresses and niggles at the end of each day. Not the usual niggles synonymous with busy offices (“Who used the last teabag?!”). The physical kind, associated with spending too long at a desk. Twinges in the back, aching neck, tired brains, and swollen ankles. Those kind.
Looking into the likely causes, our research led to realising that ONE very simple change to our office environment could really benefit our health.
Lose weight and increase your health in 20 minute slots
Who remembers a 2017 case study conducted by the BBC’s ‘How to stay young’? 
In the study, an obese ex-policeman was encouraged to use a raised desk, allowing him to stand at his PC to work. By doing this in 20 minute slots throughout the day, he lost 20 kilos in body fat, took 13 years off his body age, and increased his activity levels from 53 to 338 minutes a day. This increased his calorie burn by 120 a day, and over the course of a year that’s 30,000 calories, the equivalent of running 10 marathons!
Another major benefit of standing whilst working is the activation of muscles in your legs, back and feet. This improves your core strength - remember those niggling aches we mentioned earlier? Gone. It boosts energy, motivation, creativity and therefore your mental health too. Your blood pressure will reduce, as will the many other health risks associated with sitting all day.
In basic terms, the science is that when standing you have to make adjustments to your body the whole time. Your bones are bearing your body weight and therefore putting stress on your body - but in a very positive way.
Dr Chris Telleken from the BBC program said: “If you want to stay young, sitting less and standing more is one of the easiest things you can do
We imagine we may lose some of you at this point as the benefits are clear and you may all be online purchasing standing desks! But we can sometimes be slow to catch on in the UK. Fact: In Denmark 90% of office workers have sit-stand desks. In the UK just 2%.
10 key benefits to standing at work
ü Improved posture
ü Kick-starts your metabolism
ü Burns calories
ü Improved circulation
ü Better breathing allowing oxygen to flow to the brain
ü Key muscle group engagement
ü Improved concentration
ü Reduced stress
ü Reduced blood pressure
ü Better sleep patterns
If this information has struck a chord with you, why not take part in this year’s Get Britain Standing™ on 27th April.
It’s an interactive mass media campaign to educate and increase awareness of the dangers of sitting too long, often referred to as ‘Sitting Disease’.
And if you’d like to support your team even more, remember to sign up for our CPD approved online Stress Awareness course!
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