The Cost of Sitting Crisis: Why it’s Time for a Lifestyle Change, Starting with a Cushion for Office Chairs

Isn’t it strange that most of the fast-paced world of work is conducted while sitting completely still? When we think about the risks of office jobs, the discussions tend to be around mental and team well-being…but what about physical? It’s time to confront the uncomfortable truth. Read on, to find out why it’s time for you to rethink your lifestyle, and consider a cushion for your office chair.

The cost of sitting crisis, explained 

In the hustle and bustle of office work, we often find ourselves spending countless hours seated at our desks, engrossed in tasks and responsibilities. But, if you understood the real cost of those hours…we bet you’d start counting. 

81% of office workers spend as many as 9 hours seated at a desk per day. That’s not including other sedentary hours spent relaxing and commuting. 

But what’s the issue?

It starts with the metabolism. Your metabolism is how your body converts food into the energy needed to perform daily functions. The less you do, the slower your metabolism becomes - which makes sense, right? 

But, if it slows too much, so does your ability to regulate: 

• Blood sugar
• Blood pressure
• Body fat breakdown 

Which in turn, can bring more long-term concerns, like obesity, type 2 diabetes (which has hit highest numbers ever) and even some forms of cancer. And that’s not all.

Be honest. Has your bum ever felt sore after a day at the office? And do we dare ask about back pain? 

Studies have found as many as 65% of office workers develop muscular-skeletal issues. While posture can support, the truth is, we’re not built to sit all day, in-fact, quite the opposite.

And even if you have the finest posture in the world, that won’t save you from the sneaky effects of prolonged pressure. 

Prolonged pressure is the reason your bum, legs or back may feel sore after a long day. If you stay in one position, your weight falls on localised areas of your body, causing pressure. 

In order for your skin and the below tissues to stay happy and healthy, they need access to blood flow. Pressure restricts blood flow, meaning the area gets starved for the nutrients it needs to thrive. This is where the soreness comes in. And, if not addressed, it can develop into pressure sores. 

Wait, what are pressure sores?
We have a blog for that, too! 

Read now

But here’s the thing about the cost of sitting crisis, it’s preventable. 

The solutions  

Now we know the real cost of sitting, it’s time to make some savings. The good news is, most of those experiences we mentioned above are preventable. You just need to know how. 

The NHS recommends being active for 150 minutes a week…that’s ~20-30 minutes of exercise per day. Ask yourself honestly, are you hitting this? If not, you can start simple.  If appropriate for you, try: 

• Parking a little further away from your destination
• Taking the stairs rather than elevator 
• Cycling and walking where possible

But how about general movement? You should change position, stretch your legs and have a little stand up every 30 minutes. A great way to manage this is by scheduling it with your daily activities. Every time you tick off a to-do, take a minute to care for your body. This simple action will promote better posture, circulation, and help with your overall well being (which in turn…will make you more productive!).

If possible, you should also review your desk set up. If you’re struggling with back pain, try asking your company for a standing desk. A study found sit-stand desks helped reduce back pain by 54% in just 4 weeks.

But, what about the very thing you’re sitting on? Your chair is your ultimate contributor of comfort, it can make or break your working day! But, even if it’s the comfiest chair in the world, it still won’t help with prolonged pressure. That’s where an office chair cushion comes in. 

Why it’s time to get a cushion for your office chair

A pressure-preventing cushion is a serious game changer for everyday wellbeing. Stopping that blood flow restriction and promoting good posture while providing the support and comfort to focus on your job. But with so many brands on the market, it can be difficult to know where to start. 

Your best bet is going with products that are used by healthcare professionals. This is probably a good time to introduce ourselves…

We’re Enora. We’ve been pioneering pressure support for healthcare for over 25 years. But we’ve decided it’s time to branch out our support to everyone. To provide solutions that actually work.  

Our Repose® Technology is the first ever healthcare grade solution to be applied to home and office support. Subtle, easily stored and transportable, our cushion for office chairs will help you fight the cost of sitting crisis, comfortably.