Studies have shown that there is a great deal of potential in improving our wellbeing in the workplace by improving our heart health. We spend a large proportion of our time at work, so it stands to reason that this should be one of the key areas we improve when trying to boost our health. A heart healthy workplace helps you to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, which could be life threatening. Work can be stressful and place a significant effect on our mental and physical health, and it can also be a breeding ground for poor eating and lifestyle habits. Think of the vast amount of unhealthy snacks and takeaway foods you eat in a week, not to mention the increasing amount of time you spend sitting at your desk or dodging that walk around the block on your lunch break in favour of sitting in the canteen. Wellness programmes are becoming more and more popular as a way of getting employees to get up and move more, as well as encouraging them to eat better while they’re at work. All in all, a healthier workplace equals a happier one.
If you work an office job especially, you are at risk of developing poor posture from sitting at your desk all day, depression, poor eyesight from staring at a computer screen all day and unhealthy eating habits. Where businesses are concerned, unhealthy employees cost employers money – more sick days, people being signed off with work related injuries, and less productivity. This is why wellness programmes are so popular now – they may cost money to implement, but the rewards are well worth it. Studies have shown that wellness programmes improve people’s body weight, blood pressure, waist circumference, and glucose and lipid concentrations in more than 5000 people. More people gave up smoking and even adding salt to their meals. The improvement to people’s health as a result of the study was astonishing, and showed just what a difference healthier choices at work made.
Research suggests that employees who are more physically active enjoy their work more and are more alert, as well as having higher concentration levels. Exercise is a natural mood booster and can encourage your mind to be more enthusiastic and engaging with your colleagues. There’s also a social element to exercising which can help build team working skills and improve the rapport between colleagues. The best way to achieve this is to have healthy food around the office instead of chocolate and crisps in the vending machines – opt for fruit bowls, for example. Keeping active for just 30 minutes a day could help to lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes, so opt for the stairs or go for a walk on your lunch break – you could even get off the bus a few stops earlier and walk the remainder of your journey each morning. Giving up tobacco is another top tip for improving both your heart health and general wellbeing. There are a number of ways to improve your health through your workplace habits – it’s simply a way of noticing where you’re going wrong and making better decisions about how you spend your time at work. There are often various options for fitting in more exercise or some of your five a day, from the snacks you take at elevenses to how you spend your lunch break. Once you and your employers are aware of this, your workplace can become a far healthier place that carries less health risks for your heart and general health.