Sitting at a desk for long periods every day can affect workers mentally as well as physically, new research has suggested.
A study by academics at the Work and Health Research Centre at Loughborough University has argued that more time spent sitting at work was linked to a decrease in mental wellbeing.
The researchers surveyed more than 1,000 employees, measuring their uses and experiences of occupational health services and their physical activity levels.
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The findings were presented at the British Psychological Society’s annual occupational psychology conference in Chester in January.
Lead researcher Myanna Duncan said: “People don’t need psychologists to tell them to get up and walk around. But if it helps, I’d tell them to put a post-it note on their computer to remind them. Go and talk to your colleagues face to face, it’s a lot more sociable and better for you than emailing them.”
