Is your desk chair deadly? The longer you sit, the higher your health risks, finds a new Spanish study.
Researchers followed a group of adults over a span of 2 years and found that people who were consistently active experienced greater quality of life than those who mostly stayed sedentary. The researchers also discovered that when participants slashed their sitting time by just a few hours a week, they saw a decrease in chronic ailments.
It’s obvious that leading a more active lifestyle will keep you healthier for longer, but your morning cardio sessions alone won’t make up for the time you spend every day on your butt in the car, at the office, and on the couch. In our 2010 story “Sentenced to the Chair,” we reported that the more hours a day you sit, the greater your likelihood of dying an early death—regardless of how much you exercise or how lean you are.
Your solution: Stand up! Studies show that standing burns 40 percent more calories than sitting, and that just 2.5 hours on your feet per day burns 350 calories—that’s 20 pounds per working year. Ask HR to install a stand-up desk. (Click here to see which desks Men’s Health editors use on the job.)
Request denied? Create your own stand-up workstation. Place your monitor on a box, with the top of the screen at arm’s length and at eye level, and elevate your keyboard so your elbows are bent 90 degrees. A bonus: Your posture will improve from standing instead of slumping. Watch this video to learn how to build a DIY stand-up desk.
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