By Ryan McGuire, Student Pharmacist and Karen Kier, Pharmacist
ONU Healthwise Pharmacy 

The R&B Band Soul II Soul released their song "Keep on Movin’" on March 6, 1989. The song lyrics included to “keep on moving” and “finding your own way to stay.” Based on health-related research, keep on moving is good advice.  As we approach 2026, this could be sound advice as we make New Year's resolutions.

In today’s world, where comfort and entertainment are just a click away, many people are becoming more inactive. Inactivity can occur in many places, including at home while watching television, looking at our phones, or playing games. Another common environment for inactivity is the workplace, where we find ourselves sitting more often. 

Sitting for hours has become more of the norm based on changes in how we handle work and relaxation. Can changing our work habits benefit our health?

Researchers have been observing different occupations with varying levels of activity to examine the effect it is having on people’s health.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) evaluated how sitting affects our health. The study looked at data over a 21-year period. The study enrolled 481,688 participants, dividing them into 3 different groups based on how much sitting they were doing at work. The groups included those who mostly sat, those who mixed sitting with moving, and those who hardly sat at all. 

Those who spent most of their time sitting had a 16% higher risk of dying from any cause and a 34% higher risk of dying from heart problems when compared to those who were always moving. Yet, the participants who switched between sitting and standing were not at an increased risk of death. As a matter of fact, if people added just 15-30 minutes of physical activity to their day, they could lower their risks to similar levels as those who hardly sat down.

In considering New Year resolutions in 2026, could we find 15-30 minutes during the day to add in physical activity? What can we do in the workplace to get us up and moving? 

Some changes could include asking employers to dedicate some workplace areas for physical activity and more frequent breaks to allow more moving during the day. Can we convince employers that they can improve the health of their employees by including an additional 15-30 minutes of moving each day? This could be a significant solution, especially related to lowering health care benefit costs. 

In lieu of convincing employers, what can we do for ourselves during the work day?

Some simple ideas include getting a standing desk, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or stretching your legs out or walking during breaks. Based on other research, 15 minutes of walking can have significant health benefits.  Other ideas include chair yoga or desk exercises. Keep on moving!

Another suggestion is to add movement into your meetings or your workplace.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published a guide to encourage physical activity at work. The guide is titled. “Physical Activity Breaks for the Workplace” and can be found HERE.

Setting personal goals for yourself can help you stay motivated to create and strive for a healthier work-life balance. Small goals and resolutions can make a big difference in your health.

Keep on Movin’!

If you are interested in more information, please contact ONU HealthWise Pharmacy at 419-722-3784.

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