We all know that in order to stay healthy we need to eat a well-balanced diet and frequent exercise but, if you have a desk job, then you know how hard it is to keep up with these habits. It is important to find additional things to do to stay healthy when you have a desk job and spend the majority of your day sitting down, as you are at a higher risk of health risks due to being more sedentary.
- Even though it requires some effort, you can keep yourself in good shape even if you do spend a lot of your day in front of a computer. Whilst working out can improve many different aspects of your health, the effects of exercise aren’t enough to completely counteract a day of being inactive.
- Drinking water, getting enough sleep and moving all play an essential role in your brain function, but if you spend all day sat in an office and want to pick up beneficial health habits, then here are some health tips for if you have a desk job.
Eat A Good Breakfast
In the morning, it is tempting to just grab a coffee on the go if you are in a rush. But this can lead to blood sugar levels dropping in the mid-morning, leaving you reaching for something sugary to bring them back up. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a reason, so making sure you have it is essential for your body’s health.
If you skip breakfast altogether, then this will leave you feeling fatigued and moody and your mental and physical performance will be negatively impacted. Have something which is high in fibre and protein, like porridge and fruit, which is slow-releasing and will balance out your blood sugar levels.
Maintain A Good Posture
It’s very easy to put your back and spine in an unnatural position when sitting at a desk all day. All of your nerves run through your spine, so if any of your nerves become depressed, then you may experience a dip in your performance.
Ensuring you have an ergonomic arrangement, sitting up straight, and aligning your head with your screen will help to maintain a healthy spine and body. If you can, ask your boss or employer if you can get a freestanding desk. A lot of businesses including Manchester solicitors and other business sectors could benefit from using these for their employees who spend a lot of time doing intensive work at their desks.
Take Time For Your Lunch
When you’re busy at work, it’s easy to just eat your lunch at your desk or miss it completely. However, you must remember that food is your fuel and, in addition to nourishing yourself, a lunch break helps to clear your mind ready for the afternoon at work. Allowing your brain to have a break will help to improve your productivity later on in the day.
Change Your Transportation
If you drive into work and park closest to the door, then try parking a little further away. You may be surprised at how many more steps you get in during the day. If you usually take the elevator, then take to stairs. If you can’t make it all the way to your office, then walk as far as you can and take the elevator the rest of the way and try to improve how much you can do each day.
Get Good Quality Sleep
If you think you are a star employee because you get to the office early and work late, then you may be compromising on your health. Your brain is likely to be “switched on” constantly during your day, thus having an effect on your sleeping pattern. A lack of sleep can have serious implications on your health and may well be affecting your performance at work.
Sleep is the time of the day where your brain clears and recharges, so if you don’t get enough sleep and can’t think straight, then it is because your brain hasn’t had the chance to fully recharge, so all of the activities and stresses from the day before are still affecting you. Try and do things in the run-up to going to sleep to help your brain switch off, such as have a shower or bath or read a book – you may find that you sleep much better.
By Dt. Sarika Apre Nair
