Many people make resolutions for the New Year that involve making radical changed in order to lead a longer, healthier life. While a complete change of diet or committing to hit the gym everyday would be a major change for most people, some smaller decisions can also help improve health and vitality.
Consider committing to simply spending less time each day sitting down, and spending more time up on your feet. In recent years, researchers have been taking longer looks at what effect being seated for extended periods of time has on health. Research has connected extended periods off your feet with higher incidences of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and shorter life spans. If you work a job at a desk, you are already in a chair for almost eight hours a day. When you add in time spent going to and from work and time spent relaxing at home, all the accumulated time spent sitting down could be harmful. Of course regular exercise can help counteract these effects, but getting out of your chair is the best bet. Ulf Ekeland, a professor at the Norwegian School of Sports Science released a study this year where he and his team found that one half hour spent exercising per four hours spent sitting could help reduce some of the associated risks. For most people, this means that 60-75 minutes of exercise a day would be beneficial. All of this activity does not have to be at once, so a 15 minute walk during downtime at work could pay off in a healthier you. Another small change that can be applied is to use a standing or adjustable height desk. These desks allow you to work on your feet, an option that also helps to reduce the risks associated with extended sitting. Standing or adjustable desks are becoming increasingly popular, and are available at many furniture stores, or you can go the DIY option and construct your own with instructions available online.