There's a new 'silent killer' that likely affects a large portion of the working world, as doctors have warned that this daily habit could be slowly killing us all if its not remedied.
Everybody knows the harmful nature of life's biggest vices, as recent studies have revealed the moment where things like alcohol, smoking, and a lack of exercise begin to leave harmful effects on your body.
There's even dangers within the home that you might not even realize, with certain gas stovetops dramatically increasing your risk of cancer and claims that unhealthy food is becoming as bad as cigarettes for your health.
However, one unexpected consequence of new working habits has been labelled the 'new smoking' by health experts, and it's something that could very well be doing right now as you're reading this.
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As shared by LADbible, doctors have advised against the dangers of sitting for long periods of time, as a large portion of office workers can typically spend hours upon end fixed to the seat of their desk chair.
Workers typically spend anywhere between four and nine hours sat down during the average working day, and these numbers could be extended if people spend their evenings watching TV or playing games sat at their home desk.
While it might seem like a harmless activity that's preserving your energy, sitting for too long - especially if you're not standing up at regular intervals - can drastically increase the risk of heart disease, obesity, and certain types of cancer.
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Dr James A. Levine, director of the Obesity Solutions Initiative at Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University, has boldly claimed that every hour you spend sat down takes roughly two hours off your total life span, although that's likely not an exact science.
"Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting," Dr Levine claims. "We are sitting ourselves to death."
While there's not too much you can do to avoid sitting down if you work in an office job - outside of getting a standing desk, of course - there are a few things that you can integrate into your daily life that help you avoid the negative effects of remaining sedentary.
First and foremost, you'll want to make sure that you're regularly standing up throughout the day, and don't let yourself go too long without getting up to move around at work.
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You could time it so that you're getting up every half an hour or so, and it's also a good idea to go for a short walk to get your whole body active if you can spare the time.
Additionally, if you do have a standing desk, picking up a small treadmill that sits underneath could be the key to keep you on the move while remaining at your workstation.
We're not saying you need to go for a full on run while plugging numbers into your latest spreadsheet, but keeping up a slow walk is still miles better than sitting down without moving for hours on end.