Stand up, take a step, and live longer.
A recent study in Sweden revealed some surprising results about our problematic sedentary lifestyles. After putting one group of participants on an exercise regimen, and allowing another group of participants to conduct their lives as they normally would, they discovered that the participants who spent less time sitting had longer telomeres, a component of the chromosome that, when longer than average, is an indicator of a longer lifespan. The catch? The participants who spent less time sitting had longer telomeres whether they were assigned an exercise regimen or not.
In addition to following an exercise routine, it may be important for all of us to assess just how sedentary we are when not at the gym. How many hours per day do you spend sitting at your computer? If you’re anything like me, you spend more waking hours than not in a chair. What can we do to boost our activity levels throughout the day?
One answer may be to wear a tracking device such as a Fitbit or a Jawbone tracker. The number of steps you take per day is registered on the device, and may inspire you to take as many as possible. Or you could even build your own treadmill desk…it’s easier than you think!
Park a little further from the entrance to the grocery store. Better yet, walk to the store if possible. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Get up every hour or so and walk around the block, or just across your office building. It may help to clear your head, and better yet, apparently, it may lengthen your life.
Source: The Boston Globe
LifeSpan TR1200-DT5 Treadmill Desk
