For many of us in Singapore, work involves long hours of sitting at our desks with our eyes glued to a screen.
Now, there’s a perfect excuse for you to stand up and refill your cup of kopi more often.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that standing up and moving for 3 minutes every 30 minutes helps combat the detriments of over-sitting.
Many working in desk-bound jobs will feel the physical effects of prolonged sitting but sitting for hours also affects our metabolic health.
Over time, this means higher blood sugar and cholesterol levels, even for healthy individuals.
A recent study revealed that standing up and moving for 3 minutes every 30 minutes could lessen these health impacts.
And it doesn’t take that much effort—whether it is just taking 15 steps, climbing several flights of stairs, or doing some jumping jacks and squats, improvements were found in metabolic health.
Plus, these mini-breaks do not noticeably interrupt day-to-day workflow.
However, 3-minute breaks are only the bare minimum.
While moving around and taking a few steps help, The New York Times said it should not be the only thing we do.
After all, for most of us, sitting is almost constant in our workday.
Adults in the United States sit uninterrupted for about 6.5 hours a day on average. This is likely to have increased since the pandemic.
According to the study, every waking hour spent in sedentary postures like sitting and lying increases the risks of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes.
This is because muscles in our legs, one of the largest in our body, barely contract when sitting, requiring less sugar from our bloodstream.
The muscles will not release biochemical substances that typically aids in breaking down fatty acids, causing both sugar and cholesterol build-up.
This experiment by Stockholm scientists lasted 3 weeks to better reflect everyday lives.
The study recruited 16 middle-aged individuals with sedentary desk jobs and who had a history of obesity. This puts most of them at high risk of metabolic diseases like diabetes.
Half the group was asked to carry on with their ordinary lives.
The other half used a phone app that alerted them to get active every 30 minutes for 3 minutes.
They walked up steps, strolled hallways, hopped, or did squats, taking at least 15 steps in that duration.
Those who were active had more stable blood sugar levels and lowered fasting blood sugar levels in the morning.
Their bodies had better-controlled blood sugar levels—an important indicator of metabolic health. They also had higher levels of beneficial cholesterol in their bloodstream.
While improvements were slight, the study concluded that this could be the difference between progressing to full-blown Type 2 diabetes in the long term.
In the active group, those who were the most active – putting in 75 steps or more in the 3 minutes – showed the most improvements in metabolisms.
A professor who oversaw the study advised those concerned about over-sitting to download an app or set an alarm to remind them to stand up and move every 30 minutes.
He added that even going to the bathroom or getting a coffee would help.
Ultimately, it is important to get more physical activity into our lives, even in small ways like taking the stairs rather than the elevator.
Considering Singapore has one of the longest working hours in the world, many of us are likely to lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Earlier this year, PM Lee also raised the issue that diabetes leads to more serious health issues.
So if you’re guilty of sitting at your desk without moving for long, it might be time to take action and get moving!
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Featured image adapted from Unsplash.
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