Keep healthy and happy at your desk
It's quite obvious that sitting down at a desk all day is not particulary good for your health, but do you know just how bad it actually is?
According to a recent study, prolonged sitting while at your desk can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
But that’s not the only thing at work that poses a risk to our health:
- Around 70% of computer users in the UK regularly leave work suffering from the symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome
- Research found office workers are more prone to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than those who spend a lot of time on long–haul flights
- 1 in 5 admit to breaking a diet if there’s food available in the workplace
- Around 31 million days of work were lost last year due to back, neck and muscle problems in the UK alone
- 62% of us come into the office even when we’re ill, increasing the risk of infecting colleagues
- 1 in 10 Brits just ‘splash and dash’ after using the toilet at work and 1 in 5 don’t wash their hands at all
Take a look below for 8 simple ways to ensure sitting at a desk doesn’t take its toll on your health:
1. Stay clear of Computer Vision Syndrome
It’s possible, nowadays, to spend most of our waking hours surrounded by screens, from checking your emails and texts first thing in the morning, to working 9 – 5 in an office, and then catching up on some evening TV or computer games before, finally, checking your trusty mobile again as you drift off to sleep.
Although this technology has many positive effects on our professional and social lives, what is it doing to our health? One significant effect of constant screen use is called ‘Computer Vision Syndrome’ (or ‘CVS’). So, what is CVS, and how can we avoid it?
“When we use a computer for long periods,” explains Professor Dan Reinstein, of the London Vision Clinic, “we only blink around 4 – 7 times per minute. Our usual rate of blinking is more like 18 – 20 times per minute, so this is a significant reduction –it can cause symptoms such as dry eyes and blurred vision.” Other common symptoms of CVS include red eyes, eye strain, double vision, headaches, and difficulty refocusing the eyes.
Luckily, although CVS can be inconvenient and unpleasant, there is currently no evidence that it causes long-term damage to the eyes. However, experiencing these symptoms regularly can be frustrating, and can even affect your performance at work, or your enjoyment of other activities.
Professor Reinstein provides his top tips on how to prevent CVS, and keep our eyes healthy and comfortable.
1) Take a short break from your computer screen at least once per hour: ensure that you move and look away from your computer.
2) Keep your computer screen clean.
3) Be conscious of blinking regularly.
4) Optimise the angle, height and distance of your screen. Being the wrong distance away from your screen can increase muscle-strain and visual discomfort.
5) Be aware of environmental factors. Air-conditioning and fans can worsen the dry-eye symptoms of CVS.
6) If contact-lenses make your eyes feel dry, avoid wearing them when using a computer. CVS is particularly common in contact-lens wearers; at the London Vision Clinic, we often see patients who are choosing to have laser eye surgery because they find they can no-longer wear their contact lenses for long periods, especially while using computers.
7) Drink plenty of water, to keep yourself hydrated.
8) Avoid ‘glare’ from windows and over-head lights.
9) Ensure that your computer screen is not flickering.
10) And, most importantly, have an eye examination.
Having regular eye examinations is essential, to check whether you ought to be wearing glasses or contact lenses, and to confirm that you are wearing the correct prescription. Wearing the wrong prescription could increase much of the discomfort associated with CVS. The front of your eye (the cornea) should also be assessed for signs of dry eye, and your optometrist can prescribe you with artificial tears, if your eyes are too dry.
As well as getting your eye checked, you could also try using a spray to keep the eyes hydrated. Murine Refresh & Soothe Eye Mist is applied to closed eyes with a gentle spray where the fine mist makes its way onto the eye. After a couple of blinks, the particles spread across the eye’s surface and the clinically-proven formulation helps to replenish the tear film layer whilst providing quick, long-lasting hydrating relief without flooding the eye or running down the face.
Murine is available from Waitrose stores and independent pharmacies nationwide priced £9.99 for 15ml/300 sprays.
2. Keep the heart healthy
Regular light exercise is important in maintaining blood circulation and building muscle strength. A recent study found that when sitting for a prolonged period of time, such as at a desk, muscles become slack and do not contract to effectively pump blood to the heart. Arteries can become 50% more damaged after just one hour of sitting, but researchers found that light, frequent bursts of exercise, such as a five minute walk every hour, can protect arteries. You could also try using compact fitness equipment, such as the Digital Pedal Exerciser from Betterlife for LloydsPharmacy (£29.99), which would fit perfectly under your desk. You can exercise both your leg or arm muscles with it and the digital display allows you to keep track of exercise time, revolution count, number of cycles/RPM and calories burned, it also has anti-slip rubber pads to prevent sliding and protect surfaces and it’s easy to fold away, so you can get easily store or hide it away if necessary.
The Digital Pedal Exerciser (£29.99) is available to order on freephone 0800 316 0558 or online at betterlife.co.uk
3. Avoid Deep Vein Thrombosis
Research found office workers are more prone to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) than those who spend much time on long–haul flights. A study by Professor Richard Beasley of the Medical Research Institute in Wellington, NZ found that a third of patients admitted to hospital with DVT were office workers. Out of a sample of 62 patients admitted with blood clots 34 percent had been sitting at their desks for long periods, while only 21 percent had recently travelled on long-distance flights. Office workers should be doing 30 minutes exercise, 5 times a week, yet only 24% of women and 35% of men actually achieve the recommended physical activity guidelines - this puts us at risk of potentially fatal heart and circulatory conditions. Pycnogenol® is well renowned for its ability to support blood vessels; reinforcing capillary walls and ensuring normal blood flow. It is a natural flavonoids, which helps to prevent abnormal blood clotting and blood leakage through weak vessel walls by contributing to the health of large blood vessels.
Pycnogenol® is available from independent health food stores, and pharmacies, priced at £13.75 for 30 capsules from www.multivits.com.
4. Is your job making you fat?
Is your job making you fat? Helen Bond, Registered Dietitian says: ‘It’s not uncommon to find unhealthy snacks littered around the office on a regular basis, making it tricky to keep a healthy eating regime on track. In order to avoid giving in to temptation, try drinking water regularly (around 6-8 glasses a day) which can help to keep energy levels topped up, suppress the appetite and make you feel fuller. From now on your mantra needs to be 'plan ahead' - stock up on more ‘healthy’ snacks, such as nuts, seeds, fruit, crackers or oatcakes, so when your colleagues are digging in to the doughnuts, you can turn to a healthy alternative and don’t have to miss out altogether. You could also try using a supplement to help suppress the appetite further.’ Lineaslim Effervescent Tablets (£19.99 for 20 tablets, Boots) contain the active ingredient Garcinia Cambogia, which has been shown to help to boost the rate of diet success by suppressing the appetite, making it easier for dieters to avoid accumulating calories when they are supposed to be losing weight.
Lineaslim Effervescent Tablets with Garcinia Cambogia are available from Boots stores nationwide and retail at £19.99 for 20 tablets (4.2g). The tablets are free from: artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, lactose free and suitable for vegetarians
5. Put an end to back pain
Sitting at your desk for hours on end can be an uncomfortable experience as your body can only tolerate being in one position for a short amount of time. Here are a few things you can do to avoid pain through bad posture: Make sure you have a chair that offers good back support, ensure you rest your feet on the floor and are not sitting crossed legged, keep your mouse close to you so you don’t over-stretch and ensure your screen is eye height to give you a good posture. Although these are easier said than done, injuries can still occur. Around 31 million days of work were lost last year due to back, neck and muscle problems in the UK alone. However if you do suffer from pain, try keeping a gel or cream in your drawer to relieve pain. Movelat’s unique formula is easily absorbed in to the skin and delivers a clinically proven anti-inflammatory, exactly where you need it. This makes it ideal for people who want to lead active lives but are held back by pain. Available as both a cream and gel, Movelat is effective for local relief of pain and inflammation caused by rheumatic and muscular pain, stiffness, sprains, strains and mild arthritic conditions. Movelat can be purchased from all high street and independent pharmacies.
Movelat can be purchased from all high street and independent pharmacies. Movelat Relief Cream/ Gel costs £4.62 (40g)
6. Avoid the office cold
The dreaded office cold often starts making its way round your colleagues at this time of year, so make sure you arm your immune system against a runny nose and sore throat all winter. Emergen-C is a completely new concept with a double hit of energy release and immunity support in handy fast dissolving wallet-sized sachets to keep you on top form in the annual battle against winter germs. Packing 1000mg of Vitamin C for immunity support and 6 B Vitamins for energy release in every little sachet, Emergen-C also boasts an impressive mix of 15 key nutrients: Vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, B12 and D, Folic Acid, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Chromium and Zinc to help keep you at your best.
Available at Boots and Tesco! Emergen-C costs £4.99 for a pack of 8, £13.99 for a pack of 24 and 99p for a single sachet. Adults should take up to one sachet per day.
A third of us have taken a day off sick due to the common cold in the last year, so if you do fall victim to a head cold, which most of us inevitably will at some point, try keeping a decongestant on your desk, to keep you productive even when you’re not feeling at your best. Clinical and Community Pharmacist Steve Riley, says: ‘If a dry cough is bothering you at work, get yourself a linctus style medicine. They don’t cause side effects such as drowsiness, so will keep you staying alert at your desk, and will soothe symptoms while your body gets on with fighting the infection’. Care Decongestant tablets (£2.09 for 12, Rowland’s Pharmacy) relieve nasal, sinus and upper chest congestion by restricting blood vessels, which reduces swelling and decreases the production of mucus.
7. Clear your desk of hidden nasties
Our desks provide a home for an array of different germs, from crumbs and left-over food to bacteria spread via the 1 in 5 of us that admit to not washing our hands properly after using the toilet at work. Make sure you keep your desk, phone and keyboard clean to protect yourself from stomach bugs and other viruses. Regularly wipe down your office equipment and workspace with a bacterial wipe to keep surfaces clean. Cuticura’s Anti Bacterial Hand Wipes kill 99.99% of bacteria and can also be used on hands to remove dirt and, according to leading hygiene expert Dr Lisa Ackerley, good hand hygiene has the potential to reduce the risk of diarrhoeal disease by up to 47%.
Cuticura Anti Bacterial Hand Wipes (RRP £1.49), available from Tesco, Sainsburys, Superdrug, WH Smiths, Savers, Bodycare and leading independent pharmacies. For more information visit www.cuticura.co.uk
8. Maintain healthy digestion
Over-eating or rushing lunch at our desks can lead to bloating and abdominal discomfort. Our digestive system needs some movement to process food, so sitting at a desk for long periods of time can mean that there may not be enough movement to stimulate digestion. Make sure you stand up and take regular breaks and use your lunch hour to go for a gentle walk to ensure a pain free afternoon. If you are susceptible to regular bloating and trapped wind there are a number of effective and natural solutions. Sun Chlorella ‘A’ is a nutritious and natural green algae whole food supplement from Japan, with an incredible quantity of nutrients, antioxidants and vitamins. Nutritionist Nadia Brydon says: ‘Taking Sun Chlorella ‘A’ on a daily basis can help keep the gut healthy and happy by acting as an ‘intestinal broom’ and cleansing the bowel by clinging on to toxins like mercury, aluminium or pesticides in your intestines and eliminating them as waste. A daily serving of Sun Chlorella can swiftly help return your system to its optimum performance.’
Sun Chlorella is priced £21.95 for 300 tablets (a 20-30 day supply) and is available from www.SunChlorella.co.uk
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