A great percentage of the labor force is engaged in careers that require them to spend almost the entire work day sitting behind a desk. While this sedentary routine is a well established practice, it is far removed from the daily activities of our ancient ancestors who spend a huge portion of the day on their feet hunting or gathering.

Of course with the advancement of civilization comes change and one of the major changes of modern times is the fact that work patterns have become more mental than physical. Nowadays even those jobs that require physical involvement are done by machines. The need for physical input from humans has just about been eliminated.

So that leaves humans with the jobs that require them to sit around for practically the whole day. No doubt, you have one of the 9-5’s working in a plush office building carrying out your daily responsibilities. But even though it’s great to be working, the fact that you may have to sit at your desk daily may be destroying your health.

Many studies have reported that the risk of contracting a wide array of illnesses increases across the board for individuals involved in sedentary occupations. For example, researchers in Canada found that the overall mortality rate was 1.5 times greater for people whose jobs required them to sit primarily when compared to persons who sat less throughout the day.

Further, there is a preponderance of documented evidence that show a direct correlation between inactivity, and chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity. People whose daily routine involves little or no physical activities tend to show a greater propensity of developing these illnesses than those who occupy their day with some physical pursuit.

If your job requires that you sit for long periods, it would be wise to make some efforts to include as much physical activity in your day as you can. Here are some things you can do to counteract sitting beginning today:

• If you have to read a document or a report, do it standing up.

• Make maximum use of your lunch break. Don’t just eat, use about 15min to do some light exercises or better yet, why not walk to and from lunch.

• Walk frequently around the office or perhaps from office to office.

• Standup from your desk frequently; let’s say every 10-15mins.

• Take 10-15mins mid-morning and mid afternoon breaks to walk and stretch.

• After work go out and exercise.

Counteracting the deleterious effects of prolonged sitting is not easy, but with some effort you can reduce the overall impact it has on your health. The recommendations above are certainly good initial steps but you should also get involved in other exercise routines that can help you maintain your health. Of course, you know that a good diet as usual plays a critical role in any health program.