How to stay healthy & fit when you work at your desk for a long time

It is not perfectly possible to integrate regular exercise breaks in every profession - if you are a programmer or graphic designer, for example, then you probably have to stay on your project for many hours - without a break. It is all the more important to make provisions for such long days. In this article we will show you how to stay fit and healthy even on long days at your desk.

Tip: Would you like to know how best to set up your office ergonomically and which basics you should bear in mind when doing so? Then feel free to have a look at the desqup blogs and be inspired by the many different articles!

The consequences of sitting at a desk for too long

Before we look at what you can do about the consequences of sitting for a long time , let's point out the most serious disadvantages. According to many studies, Germans spend far too much time sitting down – even at school it is not uncommon for young people not to get up for four or more hours a day. On average , adult Germans spend 8.5 hours a day sitting, and the trend is rising.

There is no precise information as to when prolonged sitting is harmful. However, experts advise moving at least every 30 minutes, as the concentration already decreases here due to the poorer blood circulation. In addition, the sitting position should be changed regularly.

Among other things, long-term sitting has these effects on the body:

• Higher risk of cardiovascular disease because sitting for long periods impairs blood circulation and metabolism
• Many musculoskeletal disorders: This can lead to back pain, neck pain and tension
• Obesity and overweight: Sitting for long periods increases the risk of obesity and fat gain
• The risk of diabetes increases because prolonged sitting impairs insulin intensity and glucose metabolism
• The susceptibility to stress, excessive demands and depression also increases if you sit for long periods of time. This also makes you mentally less efficient on long days

It is important to prevent these effects with small tricks and adjustments - for example with sufficient water , the right diet or ergonomic office equipment. With the sustainable & durable office furniture from desqup, for example, you can optimize your posture at work - please visit our website if you would like more information.

But now to the tips on how you can stay fit longer at your desk !

Nutrition & Hydration: Get through long days fit with these tricks

In order to get through long days at your desk in good shape, the right diet and sufficient water are relevant factors . So in this section we look at how you can get a lot more out of long days at your desk with the right snacks & enough water.

The key to avoiding headaches and being more vulnerable to stress is staying hydrated at work. Regardless of the season, you should drink at least three liters of water on a normal eight-hour day. It is best to divide it up into glasses. If you tend to forget to drink regularly, you can also set a reminder for your smartphone. If you don't drink enough water, it affects blood flow and nutrient supply. You find it harder to concentrate, you get headaches and you may even feel dizzy towards the end of the day.

It is also best to plan your diet in advance if you want to stay fit on long days at your desk. Avoid sugary and fatty foods as much as possible and instead bring some healthy snacks with you to the office to eat on the side. Nuts, for example, have a proven, positive effect on our performance and brain function, which is particularly noticeable when it comes to concentration. However, make sure that you don't eat more than a handful of nuts per day, otherwise you will eat a lot of fat at once. Another recommended snack is fruit & veg, which you can easily chop up and pack for the day - this will also cover your vitamins.

At desqup , we have made it our task to make your working day as healthy as possible - this includes not only a balanced diet but also ergonomic office furniture. With the height-adjustable desks from desqup and the sitting and standing stool desqup Wobble, you ensure that your body is always in the perfect working position .

Exercise: Get fitter at your desk with routines for long days

To stay fit even on long days at your desk, you should integrate regular exercise breaks . This is not even about real sport, but just about little things that stimulate your blood circulation and make you work better again.

You have these options for permanently integrating exercise into your everyday work:

• Parking: Park your car a little further away from your actual place of work. This not only makes it easier for you to find a parking space, but also to start and end your working day with fresh air and exercise
• Telephone calls: From now on, try to get in the habit of making telephone calls standing up as much as possible. So you always have small breaks in your everyday life, which stimulate your blood circulation and your performance
• Errands: You have to bring documents to a colleague or send a message? Instead of doing this by e-mail or telephone, you can also simply visit them in person. This is how you move around here and even complete your daily tasks
• Office furniture: Different types of office furniture can ensure that you are constantly moving without really noticing it. The desqup motion, for example, keeps your torso in constant motion and thus promotes blood circulation and concentration

An ergonomic sitting and standing stool and a height-adjustable desk are important companions if you want to stay fit on long days in the office. Thanks to this table, you can do most of your tasks while standing, while your body is always in motion. The small micro-movements on a 3D stool like the one from desqup stimulate your blood circulation and ensure improved focus and higher performance.

Working at a desk is part of everyday life for most people in Germany - but many do not know that they can keep fit with little tips , despite long working hours in the office. This article has given you some of the basic aspects that you can now apply in your everyday life .