Many of us have office jobs in which we’re hunched over the computer eight or ten hours a day. Not only is inactivity bad for your health, but there are other bad habits that you may have picked up that aren’t so good for you.
Here are some unhealthy desk habits that you may want to change:
1. Sitting Too Long
Inactivity or sitting at your desk too long is not good for your health. Studies have shown that sitting for extended periods of time can lead to heart disease, obesity, and cancer. It can even affect you mentally, with an increased risk for anxiety, depression, or memory impairment.
Dr. Dan, of Turack Chiropractic and Performance Health, put together a series of desk stretches that can help you engage your posture upward. Check out the first episode:
According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Americans should stand, move, and take breaks for a least two hours out of the eight hour work day. Combined with Dr. Dan’s stretches, it could help to get up every few hours, take a walk around the office, or hit a few flights of stairs.
2. Eating at Your Desk
Having lunch at your desk can cause you to sit even more. It also means you’re not socializing, and frankly, it’s a little unsanitary. You don’t want to be eating a sandwich and drop mayonnaise on your keyboard, or eating that leftover pizza and get grease all over your mouse. Try to ask friends or colleagues to go out to lunch once or twice a week, or at least chat with a work buddy as your meal heats up in the microwave.
3. Bad Posture
Many of us lean forward in a craned neck position as we sit at the computer. Not only is this bad for your neck and back, but it could even cause sleeping issues and long-term injury if you notice pain developing. Injuries occur from years of repetitive movements with poor form and posture. Be sure to check your posture every few hours, engage your back and shoulder muscles, and sit upright.
Should you develop pain or a worsening condition, Turack Chiropractic and Performance Health offers an integrative form of chiropractic that involves a variety of manual adjustments and soft tissue techniques. Our services are tailored to your individual needs, whether it be neck pain, shoulder pain, or other issues.
4. Drinking Excessive Coffee
Yes, you can drink too much coffee. Some side effects of too much coffee intake include affecting the lining of your stomach, loose bowel movements, and irritation of the bladder, among other digestive issues. You don’t have to cut cold turkey; maybe just take it down to one cup a day or every other day, and drink a lot of water.
If you are concerned about the health of your gut, Turack Chiropractic and Performance Health offers a GI Effects testing tool to help you assess your digestive function, gut inflammation, and gut microbiome. Normalizing GI function can have positive effects on your overall health.
Contact Our Pittsburgh Chiropractor
Good posture and healthy habits can help you clean up your daily desk routine. At Turack Chiropractic and Performance Health, we provide patients with functional medicine practices that can assist you with your overall health. Call our Pittsburgh office at (724) 940-3499 to schedule an appointment today.