The high cost of treating cardiovascular disease leaves many employers eager for effective solutions. Lifestyle changes are the optimal way to preserve health. One lifestyle behavior that raises risk of heart disease and diabetes is sit time. These extended sitting sessions should be avoided and many employees are encouraged to get up and move. Why is movement during the day important?
When we sit for prolonged periods of time, blood flow can be very sluggish. Blood returning through the veins to the heart is slowed by sitting. This promotes the formation of blood clots the veins, clots which can travel to restricted sites in our blood vessels and block blood flow.
These clots can cause serious problems, and they are far more likely to occur in those who work computer jobs. For example, compared to employees with active jobs that have less than 4 hours of sit time per day, employees who remain immobile at their computers have a 2.8-fold higher risk of venous thromboembolism, a specific type of blood clot. This risk is dose-dependent, so with increasing hours of sitting, the risk of blood clots also increases by up to 10% per hour.
As the pandemic encouraged work-from-home policies, case reports are accumulating about serious blood clots associated with seated computer work. The studies directly blame long hours sitting. Some hospitals have noted a significant association between COVID quarantine periods and rates of clots. Thrombotic (clotting) disease was also reported in young adults who sat for long periods of time during lock-downs. These studies urge “strict preventive measures such as exercise” to prevent immobility-related clots.
Exercise increases blood flow and reduces risk of cardiovascular disease. Those who exercise regularly have about half the risk of clotting diseases compared to sedentary individuals. But this reduced risk applies mostly to clots within the arteries, which carry blood away from the heart. With prolonged sitting, even fit individuals remain at a higher risk of clots in the veins that return blood to the heart. And higher diabetes rates are associated with seated jobs even in individuals who are highly active!
Exercise is certainly a healthy option for better circulation, but urging higher levels of physical activity rarely results in a fitter workforce. Getting employees to move throughout the day, sitting less, can help the problem.
Organizations that are ready to address prolonged sit times can use many strategies to promote more movement.
Some organizations have used sit-stand desk options to encourage different positions. This approach shows positive responses from employees, including enhanced wellbeing. In some cases, though, employees may forget to use the standing option, and may even struggle to find comfortable standing postures. Plus, social norms can prevent some employees from taking full advantage of varied standing positions.
Employees are better able to embrace more movement when employers provide coaching and/or educational support. By helping workers understand why sitting time matters, it can encourage them to take short movement breaks throughout the day. It also increases their perception that their organization cares about their health, and removes the barrier of social norms that can make standing up feel like standing out. Studies suggest that when it comes to influencing physical activity for seated jobs, support from managers is a key facilitator.
Sit-stand desks impacts the risk of cardiovascular disease and is a cost-effective solution for the workplace. In fact, a recent study found that when employers invest in sit-stand equipment, the outcomes have an “85% probability of being cost-effective.”
The organizations that leverage Treo’s wellness platform have the opportunity to adjust the kinds of content to which their team gains access. This includes content that encourages daily movement, on-demand workouts, and educational content that enhances exercise motivation. In addition, Treo offers a tailored strategy for members to reach their own personal health goals, with the option of wellness coaching at no extra charge. Curious to learn more about how Treo’s dedication to employee wellness? Let’s get in touch!
As Treo’s Global Wellness Researcher, Karlie uses recent research findings to support healthier daily habits. Karlie earned her doctorate in Neuroscience and Behavior and bachelors in Health and Exercise Science.
© 2024 Treo Wellness.
