By Deb Balzer

Mayo Clinic News Network

For the millions of people who sit at a desk for long hours at a time, day after day, you may want to stand up for this.

Mayo Clinic research shows that using an active workstation can help you move more and think better at work — without affecting your job. Sitting too much at work or home can increase your risk of certain diseases, says Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist and senior author of a study on the topic.

“Sitting for eight hours or more a day is almost as bad as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day in terms of cardiovascular health or risk,” says Dr. Lopez-Jimenez.

He says not everyone can break for exercise. Having an active workstation can be a solution.

“An active workstation could be a desk where you can just stand or stand and move around, or stand and walk, or biking or pedaling, or using a stepper,” he says.

You can do this intermittently, alternating with sitting. Whether answering emails, video calls or working on projects, keep moving.

“It allows the user to work to be productive, and, at the same time, burn some calories,” Dr. Lopez-Jimenez says.

And you don’t have to be active all day to see the benefits.

“As long as you don’t sit for more than three or four hours throughout the day, I think that will be a good goal,” says Dr. Lopez-Jimenez.