How to Incorporate Activity into Your Sedentary Work Life

If you want to do things to help your heart, staying active should be high on the list. When you incorporate regular movement into your days, you help this muscular organ function at its best.

That said, staying active can be challenging if you work 40 hours or more in a sedentary job each week. With so much of your day consumed by sitting, it might feel impossible to get regular movement.

However, there’s a lot you can do to increase your activity levels. Because we recommend regular activity as part of any person’s heart attack prevention plan, David Bolon, MD, and our team have some suggestions you can apply here. 

You can visit us at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular in Midtown East Manhattan, New York City, for more personalized recommendations, but we’ll lay out some general tips here.

First, though, we want to motivate you to implement these suggestions. Let’s take a look at how regular movement impacts your heart. 

Why activity matters for heart health

When you move, you get your heart rate up. Even a brisk walk encourages some positive changes in this muscular organ. 

Specifically, regular activity helps to improve your muscles’ use of oxygen from your blood, meaning your heart needs to pump less. It also lowers your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing challenges that could otherwise tax your heart. 

In short, regular activity protects your heart and helps it function at its best. 

That’s why Dr. Bolon and the American Heart Association (AHA) recommend that we all look for ways to spend less time sitting. 

How to get moving, even with a sedentary job

If you work at a desk or in another situation that doesn’t introduce much movement into your day, you must find ways to get active. Here are a few ideas you can use:

Get up often

Make it a goal to get up and move for five minutes every two hours. Getting up to use the restroom or refill your coffee or water counts. If you need to share information with a coworker, consider walking over to tell them instead of sending an email or direct message. 

Walk at lunch

Continuing to sit during your lunch break doesn’t do your body any favors. Try using part of your meal period to stretch your legs. If you can find a walking route near your office that you enjoy, this might turn into a welcome break from the work environment. 

Exercise at your desk

The AHA has a series of exercises you can do while sitting at your desk. Try incorporating some of these whenever you’re on a (non-video) call to increase your daily activity level. 

Consider an adjustable standing desk 

Alternating between sitting and standing throughout the day can alleviate some of the strains that sitting puts on your body and heart. If you can invest in a walking pad, all the better. 

These are some general suggestions. They’re a start, but we can offer additional tips tailored to your work situation. For support incorporating more activity into your workday to improve your heart health, schedule some time with Dr. Bolon. Call our office at (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online today.