For years, we’ve heard that “sitting is the new smoking,” but new research suggests that standing might not be so great for our health either. A recent study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that standing for long periods at work can negatively impact your blood pressure over a 24-hour period. Surprisingly, spending more time seated was linked to healthier blood pressure levels.
Jooa Norha, a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku, and co-author of the study explained that while physical activity generally helps maintain healthy blood pressure, some research suggests that being active at work might actually be harmful, whereas leisure activities are beneficial.
This new study involved 156 workers aged 60 to 64, mostly women, and largely in non-manual jobs. The researchers examined how their blood pressure varied over a 24-hour period, looking at differences between being sedentary or active during work, leisure, and non-work days.
Participants wore activity trackers on their thighs to categorize their movements, and portable monitors that recorded their blood pressure every 30 minutes for 24 hours. This setup allowed researchers to connect activity levels with changes in blood pressure throughout the entire day and night.
The study found that those who sat more at work had healthier diastolic blood pressure readings over 24 hours compared to those who stood or engaged in light activity. However, no connection was found between blood pressure and activity levels during leisure time or on non-work days.
Though there’s been much research into how activity impacts cardiovascular health, this study stands out by using precise 24-hour blood pressure measurements. This method provides a clearer picture of daily blood pressure changes, which, if consistently high, could lead to long-term cardiovascular issues.
However, the study has limitations. Since the participants were older Finnish adults, it’s uncertain if these results apply to other age groups or demographics, particularly since this group was more active and had lower rates of hypertension than the general population. Only one-quarter of the participants worked manual jobs, which may have affected the findings.
Standing for long periods can affect cardiovascular health because it causes blood to pool in the legs, resulting in higher blood pressure as the heart works harder to keep blood circulating. This condition, known as venous stasis, can strain the cardiovascular system, according to cardiologist Mustali Dohadwala. Standing at work is especially risky if employees can’t take breaks when needed.
The study doesn’t mean we should skip regular exercise in favor of lounging, though. There’s substantial evidence supporting active jobs over sedentary behavior. Research from 2019 showed that less sitting and more physical activities could improve blood pressure, while a 2020 review found that replacing sitting with standing resulted in minor decreases in blood sugar and body fat but didn’t significantly affect other health markers like blood pressure or weight.
Ultimately, more research is needed to fully understand whether standing or sitting is healthier, but experts agree about the importance of mixing up movement and rest during your workday. Balancing standing, moving, and resting is crucial for everyone, regardless of whether they work in an office or have a physically demanding job.
For sedentary workers, boosting health can involve simple strategies. People who work on their feet should limit their standing time and take walking or sitting breaks to help maintain healthy blood pressure. Even those with active jobs should still engage in regular moderate physical activity to prevent increases in blood pressure and related health issues.
For those in physically demanding jobs, taking safety precautions is also important. Using proper back support and safe lifting techniques can prevent spine and joint injuries, especially in fields like construction.
