Prolonged Sitting: beware

When it comes to living a healthy lifestyle, one of the most obvious components is not to be a couch potato. Unfortunately, even the most active of us may find ourselves glued to desk seats for hours on end at work. You may not consider this an act of laziness since your mind is still productive (and you really don't have a choice), but when it comes down to it, the body is being affected in much the same way as lounging around.

In his article on Greatist, Dr. David Borenstein explains that prolonged hours of sitting can cause strain on the neck and lower back, as well as take inches from your height. This happens because of the intense pressure being put on your spine, thus forcing the water to leave your intervertebral discs and causing your body's tissues to become squashed and constricted.

In an article from TIME's Healthland, Dr. Hidde van der Ploeg explains that these long hours of sitting can also disrupt metabolic function, ultimately doing major damage to your health. It's also mentioned that those who get in daily exercise either before or after work still aren't immune to the consequences brought on from many hours of sitting. Of course, working out is still vital for good health, but it's not going to reverse these effects.

Now, I'm not suggesting you go out and buy a treadmill desk (even though that would be really cool...), but I would recommend engaging in activity that will keep your blood flowing throughout the day. Some methods are more entertaining for you co-workers to watch than others, but there are some subtle methods as well, such as:

- Trading in your desk chair for a stability ball (keeping your butt planted on the ball requires balance, so you're having to keep your core constantly engaged)

- Getting up to walk around every hour

- Investing in a standing desk (following these tips if you choose to do so)

- Doing some neck rolls (side to side, up and down)

- Going for a walk when taking long phone calls, or even just strolling around the lobby

-Offering to grab coffee for your co-workers from the local coffee shop or the break room

- If you're an intern in a walking city, volunteering to run errands for the employees around the office even when you're not already asked to (it's not a bad idea to be doing this, regardless)

Now, if you're willing to take take things up a notch, you can choose to implement some of these deskercise movements provided by Greatist. A few of my favorites are: The Wall (Street) Sit, The Pencil Pinch, The Lunch Break Hammy, and The Office Genie. If these sound appealing, check out the rest of the list by clicking the link above. Also be sure to check out this interactive link from Refinery29... even if you don't plan on getting your workout on at your desk, it's at least entertaining to scroll through!