Do you regularly suffer from back pain, do you suffer from constant tension or do you gain kilo by kilo every year? This could be due to your daily behaviors in the office, on the construction site or in the nursing home. Here are 3 typical mistakes in the workplace that make us sick in the long run.
Table of Contents
Health: 3 mistakes at work that make you sick
1. You sit for too long at a time
You’ve probably heard that sitting is the new smoking. And in fact, long periods of sitting – especially in one go – increase the risk of back pain, tension, but also cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity , as Canadian researchers found in a large-scale meta-analysisfound out. Therefore, all jobs in which you sit at a desk, at the cash register or in the car for several hours a day pose a potential health risk. If you do such a sedentary job, you should make sure that you get up at least once an hour and move your joints , such as climbing a few flights of stairs or stretching your muscles. Unfortunately, research has shown that even exercising in the evening cannot fully compensate for the negative effects of long periods of sitting .
Tip: There are a number of things that can go wrong when sitting. An ergonomically adjusted desk, chair and screen height is particularly important. You can find out how to optimally set up your work material on the homepage of the Leibniz Institute for Labor Research at the TU Dortmund (IfADo ) .
2. You lift wrong
On the other hand, if you are engaged in a physically demanding job in which you often have to pick up heavy objects from the floor, for example on a construction site or when delivering packages, your spine in particular can suffer. Lifting heavy objects with a slouched back is pretty hard on the spinal discs. If these are often pressed together under great stress, a so-called prolapse can occur in the worst case – the herniated disc . Therefore, when lifting, always bend your knees and keep your back – especially the lumbar spine – straight. In this way you protect your spine from wear and tear and yourself from painful long-term damage.
3. They eat snacks and fast food
The constant availability of food is one of the main reasons for the obesity epidemic, which is a massive burden on us and our health system. In the home office, we have a fully stocked fridge available to us throughout the day, and in the office we maintain concentration and motivation with snacks such as chocolate bars, gummy bears, or the cake our colleagues have brought with them. The lunch break is ideal due to the time pressurehardly any opportunity to eat in peace or even to prepare a balanced meal from fresh ingredients. We quickly reach for sweets from the bakery, fast food or ready meals that are prepared within minutes and gobbled down just as quickly. Such foods cause us to consume excessive amounts of sugar, salt and fat, and the constant snacking between main meals causes our blood sugar levels to take a roller coaster ride. This not only promotes diseases such as type 2 diabetes and obesity, but also causes cravings and reduces our concentration at work.
Tip: Prepare a larger portion of food at the weekend so that you can consume it for several days. Legumes and vegetables can be prepared quickly and practically in large quantities and taken to work. This way you don’t even get into the situation of having to resort to unhealthy and expensive convenience products or fast food.
