Did you know that sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of heart disease and stroke?  

The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many of us are working from home. As we adjust to this way of working, we may find that we are sitting down more than usual. This is because we are no longer popping out for coffee, moving about to go to meetings, or walking or cycling home from the office.

A recent survey by the Irish Heart Foundation revealed that more than half of people working from home in Ireland as a result of COVID-19 restrictions are sitting down for an average of two hours and 40 minutes longer per day.

It is recommended that we get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity at least five days a week. However, this does not counteract the damage caused to our health by sitting for long periods of time.

Our campaign ‘Escape Your Chair’ aims to inform and advise about the dangers of sitting down for too long and provides useful resources to help you reduce your sitting time. You can calculate your sitting time with our Sitting Time Calculator and take part in our Escape Your Chair Challenge to break-up your sitting time.

Throughout the challenge you can access tips on healthy eating and ways to mind your mental health which will help you keep healthy while you work from home.