Mental Health & Resilience
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Physical Wellbeing
Workplace CultureThe Link Between Stress, Exercise and Heart Disease
A meta-analysis of individual participant data found that stress and lack of exercise both raise the risk of coronary artery disease — but a healthy, active lifestyle can substantially reduce that risk, even among people in high-strain jobs (Kivimaki et al., “Associations of Job Strain and Lifestyle Risk Factors With Risk of Coronary Artery Disease: A Meta-Analysis of Individual Participant Data,” Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2013).
While it is already known that both stress and lack of exercise increase the risk of coronary heart disease (a narrowing of the blood vessels around the heart), the study shows how a healthy and active lifestyle can help reduce this risk and support recovery, even against the added pressure of workplace stress.
“These observational data suggest that a healthy lifestyle could substantially reduce the risk of coronary artery disease among people with job strain.”
Keeping active supports your health, no matter your occupation. But it seems that in a time-poor world, the stakes are higher.
The good news: research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology suggests that keeping fit can take as little as 12 minutes a week.
Researchers trialled a program of four-minute maximum-intensity exercises, three times a week, with sedentary middle-aged men. After 10 weeks, participants showed a 10–13% improvement in VO2max, along with gains in blood pressure and other cardiovascular health markers (Tjonna et al., “Low- and High-Volume of Intensive Endurance Training Significantly Improves Maximal Oxygen Uptake after 10-Weeks of Training in Healthy Men,” PLOS ONE, 2013).
As an experienced corporate fitness provider, HSG can bring fitness programs to your workplace at a lower cost than company gym memberships, while ensuring participation and aligning your organisation’s values with healthy living. Since our corporate fitness programs are tailored to meet your needs, we offer complete flexibility to minimise disruption to your work day. Any specific needs can be accommodated, so we can take a comprehensive approach to the health and fitness goals of each staff member.
Let us help you get your corporate fitness training program started – call us today on 1300 889 073.
