The stress, the long hours, and the sedentary nature of the average Office job could be damaging your health. Tight deadlines, snacks, ill coworkers, and even your keyboard could all be making you sick. The dangers in the typical office can have a real effect on your physical well-being and mental health.  Image – free for commercial use Sitting Sitting down for long periods is bad for your body. Aches and pains are a problem, but sitting can even lead to an early death. Sitting for long periods gives you a higher risk of muscular-skeletal disorders, obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and more, even if you work out.  Change position every eight minutes and take a two-minute moving break at least twice an hour to get yourself moving.  Stale Air Most offices use an A/C system, but this can lower the air quality. Stale air blowing around the office can cause headaches and can make you sluggish and unable to concentrate. Try to get fresh air around the office with open windows and plants.  If your office is an old building, you could be being exposed to other nasties, such as asbestos. Asbestos exposure can cause cancer and other illnesses. If you have been exposed and became ill, seek medical help immediately and advice from a team of expert mesothelioma attorneys.  Commuting If you commute by car for more than 10 miles, this can lead to higher blood sugar and cholesterol. It also raises your risk of depression, anxiety, and generally feeling a bit miserable.  Public transport isn’t any better. People who have a thirty-minute commute or longer on the bus often feel worse. Of course, you’re also exposed to more people and their germs every day, sharing things like buttons and handles on the train or bus.  Fast Food Most office workers go out for an unhealthy lunch option at least occasionally. Some do this more than others. Even the occasional treat for lunch can have some negative effects.  One portion of fast food has around double the calories of a similar home-made food of the same size. It also has a lot of oxidized fat, which will increase your risk of heart disease.  Skipping Breakfast If you’re always rushing out the door to work and don’t have enough time to eat breakfast, you could be impacting your health. Skipping breakfast on a regular basis puts your body into a stressful state, and can disrupt your metabolism. People who don’t usually eat breakfast have a higher risk of high blood pressure, becoming overweight, and developing heart issues compared to those who regularly eat within two hours of waking up.  Computer Screens Staring at a backlit computer screen for hours every day can damage your vision. Some of the effects are temporary, such as tired, strained eyes, but eventually, you can do permanent damage. If you often work late, the blue light of a backlit screen can also disrupt your sleep, as the light tells your brain it’s time to be awake.   

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