A few years back, sitting was considered the ‘new’ smoking.
That terminology was chosen because everyone recognised how bad smoking is for you. The potential health detriment from sitting too much, was comparable to the effect of smoking.
If you are often sitting in front of a screen for work, may I suggest looking at putting a box on top of the desk? That way your viewing can be done while standing, and your heart, digestion, and mood will all thank you for it.
If you need something a little more permanent, and you have a budget, look at the sit-to-stand desks available in many different versions now.
Recently you may have read about another new 'smoking' brought about by our secluded lifestyle in the pandemic: Loneliness.
Again, the overall effect on your health is comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes per day. And again, that is a significant and scary prospect.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out that lonely people are likely to sit around a lot and then the ‘new’ and newer ‘new’ add up to an even scarier potential effect on our health.
What do we do about this?
After having firmly stated that this is not my actual area of expertise, I can also assure you there are simple things we can all do with proven value and no side-effects:
Again, it starts with standing up; then walking to the door and walking outside.
Once out there you will see other people, and the final part of the challenge is to say...hello!
It is amazing how people can’t help but smile when someone unexpectedly speaks to them, and that smile will have an amazing effect on you too.
If there is one thing we will respect and value even more after the pandemic, it will surely be our mental health. Very clever people will be needed to solve this issue fully, but it is important to remember that we are simply social beings through and through.
Say hello to a stranger, talk to your neighbour, text your friends, and ring your mum!
For more information on Loneliness, as well details for a crisis hotline, follow the link below:
