Working in an office is wrecking your body; though it may sound extreme, it’s an imminent reality. One of the major drawbacks of using computers as a work tool is that they keep us sitting for too long, causing discomfort in our bodies.
Office hours typically span up to 8 hours in most countries, and sitting in front of a screen affects your posture and vision, but that’s not the only thing that affects us; other issues are damaging our bodies that we may not have realized aggravated them so much. Working in an office is wrecking your body, and here are the reasons:
An office job is filled with stress, artificial light, germ hotspots, and conditions that harm health. Additionally, monotony, routine, alienation, and lack of movement slowly deteriorate the body and soul.
10 Examples of How Working in an Office Is Wrecking Your Body
1. Sitting for hours
Sitting for extended periods can cause muscular pains or disorders, obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and even premature death.
2. Hunching for hours
If you can’t get up occasionally, at least try to maintain an erect posture, or you’ll be contributing to problems like arthritis or bursitis.
3. Poor air quality in the building
The air inside a building can be up to 100 times dirtier than the outside air, as it’s full of gases and chemicals. Even air conditioning can fill the space with toxic particles if not properly maintained.
4. Working for more than 10 hours a day
European researchers found that people who work more than 10 hours a day have a 60% higher risk of cardiovascular problems, including heart attacks and angina.
5. Staring at a screen for hours
Endlessly staring at a screen can damage your vision and cause headaches or migraines.
6. Being exposed to excessive light
Our bodies react to over-illumination in the same way as complete darkness, disrupting our internal clocks and increasing fatigue, stress, and blood pressure.
7. Being bored
A study from the University of London showed that those who complain of feeling very bored are more likely to die young, and those who live with high levels of boredom are more likely to die from a heart attack. Moreover, it puts you at greater risk of having a workplace accident.
8. Dirty keyboards
Keyboards are a breeding ground for bacteria. Microbiologists have found that they can harbor up to 5 times more bacteria than a toilet.
9. Germ hotspots
In addition to keyboards, doorknobs, faucets, handles, elevator buttons, or printer buttons, and colleagues’ hands are full of bacteria.
10. Typing too much on the keyboard
Spending a lot of time typing on a keyboard can cause CTS (carpal tunnel syndrome), which is a sharp pain in the wrists that can travel up your arm. If CTS is not treated, it can cause permanent damage to nerves and muscles.
After reading all this, one wonders, do millions of people deserve such torture? Why do we live tied to a system that forces us to endure hours of physical and mental strain? What solutions can we find to avoid losing so many years of life?
This story was originally published in Spanish in Ecoosfera
