By now you’ve heard that “sitting is the new smoking”—meaning it’s a danger to your health and can shave years off your life.

Some studies found that even if you’re physically active throughout the week and meet recommended guidelines for activity, being sedentary for most of the day still increases your mortality risk. And if you sit for more than eight hours a day and aren’t active, studies say your risk of dying was similar to those of people who were obese or smokers, according to the Mayo Clinic. 

Besides the increased risk of death, sitting for too long can increase blood pressure, and is associated with high blood sugar, extra belly fat, and unhealthy cholesterol levels.  Short of quitting your job and finding one that doesn’t involve sitting all day, you can adjust your workday and office setup to reduce pain and counteract some of the ill effects of sitting.

Here, experts in occupational therapy and physical therapy share how sitting at your desk job all day hurts your health, and what to do about it. We recommend standing up while reading this.

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