Is sitting really the new smoking?
The saying was coined by Dr. James Levine, a medical professor at the Mayo Clinic. It refers to the negative health effects of sitting for hours on end.
Want to raise your risk of early death by 19%? All you have to do is sit for more than 6 hours a day. Too much sitting can contribute to health problems such as heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, and even Alzheimer's.
Have we motivated you to get up and move?
What if you work at a computer? Try an active sitting chair. This type of chair can allow you to get your work done and still take care of your health. You'll also find yourself being more productive. Let's look at why.
Keeps the Blood Flowing
Active sitting helps keep the blood flowing. You have your heart to thank for the fact that your blood will never fully stop circulating. However, it can become sluggish and sitting in the same position for long periods. This can reduce or block off flow to some parts of the body.
Moving around, even small movements like muscle contractions here and there keeps the blood flowing more vigorously. In turn, more blood flow means more oxygen to the brain, resulting in alertness, better concentration, and greater productivity.
Reduces Pain
If you sit for work, you are probably already well acquainted with the back pain and neck and shoulder tension that comes from sitting too much.
Active sitting chairs encourage you to hold your body in a position that engages your abdominal, glute, and leg muscles. Wobble stools and other active sitting options even give you the freedom to move around and perform small exercises as you sit.
This strengthens the above muscle groups, which are notoriously weak in people who sit constantly. Strengthening those muscles also naturally improves posture, helping to eliminate the tension and pain caused by poor posture.
Wondering how this improves your productivity?
Well, if you're not concentrating on how much your back hurts, you'll get a lot more done in a day.
Keeps You Alert
Short on sleep? You're not alone. Between 30% and 40% of Americans regularly don't get enough sleep.
Whether your kids were up sick in the night or you stayed up too late partying, some days you're tired at work. If you find yourself getting comfortable in your office chair, fatigue sets in and suddenly 5 minutes have passed and you don't know what happened during them.
By keeping the body actively engage, active sitting chairs can help you stay alert even when you're tired. Of course, they can't replace a good night's sleep, but they can help you to be more productive on the days when you didn't get enough sleep the night before.
Ready to Try an Active Sitting Chair?
The health benefits alone of active sitting chairs are enough to motivate many people to use them. Add to that the extra productivity and there is no good reason not to try one.
Check out our selection here to get your active sitting chair today!