In a world filled with daily stress and deadlines, we often forget the impact of unhealthy workplace habits on our health, particularly the health of our heart and cardiovascular system. Most of us tend to sit for long periods at the desk in a sedentary manner and forget just how badly these habits can harm us over time.
If you are worried about the consequences of these actions and are looking to improve your lifestyle for the betterment of your cardiovascular health, take the step towards making a change today!
Prolonged sitting
Sitting at your desk and working long hours without any breaks is a common but extremely unhealthy workplace habit. Not only does this form of inactivity raise the risk of heart disease and high blood pressure, but it also increases the chances of developing obesity. In fact, sitting too long allows blood to pool and not burn energy effectively. Therefore, the more you sit, the less work your heart does, weakening its system for years to come.
Unmanaged stress
Workplace stress is one of the most common health threats to our hearts. Short timelines, performance pressure, and unresolved conflicts accelerate the release of cortisol into the body. Cortisol is a hormone that affects your metabolism by assisting the usage of glucose in your body for energy. When the levels are consistently elevated in the bloodstream due to stress, it may cause prolonged hypertension, inflammation, and vascular damage, which can prove fatal in the long run.
Unhealthy meals
Due to a shortage of time or financial constraints, lunchtime with unhealthy snacks or fast-food orders has nowadays become a habit at work. However, in the long run, this could be extremely disastrous. High cholesterol levels from saturated fats, sweets, and processed meals shrink blood vessels and block blood flow to the heart. This build-up increases the likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke. Moreover, eating during stress or on a tight schedule only aggravates the problem.
Inadequate sleep
Long work hours and deadlines may disrupt our sleep cycles. Lack of sleep raises the risk of heart disease through increased blood pressure and a weakened immune system. The more sleep deprived your body is, the more pressure it is under to cope with the stress that you encounter on a daily basis, which eventually leads to an increase in the strain that your heart is under.
Small steps, big changes
Keep in mind that it does not need to be complicated to exclude some of the bad habits in your lifestyle. It will be possible to take care of the heart and create a healthier work-life balance by making healthier choices through moving more, stressing less, eating well, and sleeping enough.
Begin by starting to move! Whether it means setting an alarm to stand and stretch or going for a brisk walk during your lunch hour every day, regular movement means good circulation as it lowers blood pressure and all those risks associated with sitting.
Stress management is the next step. There is a whole bunch of techniques provided by mindfulness, high-priority deep breathing exercises, meditation, or at least taking short breaks every now and then to recharge.
You may also want to have a chat with your manager about possible changes in the workload or tactics to complete your responsibilities faster. Stress reduction does not just make your heart healthier; it brings with it productive work and job satisfaction.
Now comes healthy eating and sleeping. Meal prep can be a healthy solution to tackle a nutritious diet. You can bring healthy snacks and lunches to work, such as foods rich in fibre, healthy fats, and antioxidants.
You should also prepare a specific sleeping time to abide by every night to get at least six hours of sleep. No matter how difficult it is to navigate your schedule, you will only wake up feeling healthier the next day.
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