Stop falling into the sedentary trap and get moving for your health! What many of us don’t realize is that prolonged periods of uninterrupted sitting are exposing us to weight gain, high blood sugar, cancer and an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
While exercise and a balanced diet pave the way to healthy living, sitting for numerous hours a day is slowly leading us to develop some serious health problems in the future.
Dangers of Sitting All Day
You might not notice this now, but prolonged sitting is slowly exposing you to a lot of problems in the future.
1. Exposes the individual to various diseases
Sitting all day causes the muscles to reduce fat burn and increases the risks of fatty acids clogging the arteries.
Other health problems that occur from sitting all day include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease. Individuals also have a higher chance of developing diabetes due to the inactivity of the muscles that fail to respond to insulin.
Colon cancer, breast cancer, and other harmful diseases are more likely to develop from participating in a sedentary lifestyle.
2. Muscle degeneration
Due to constant sitting all day, your muscles are unused and do not get the movement they need to keep your body fit and active.
Your posture will start to slump and your flexibility can take a hit as well. Not to mention, your glutes start to lose their tightness and reduce your body’s overall stability.
3. Leg disorders due to poor circulation
Some research indicates that prolonged sitting or the lack of movement for long periods of time might cause osteoporosis.
Additionally, sitting curbs healthy blood circulation, causing fluid to build up in our legs. Swollen ankles and blood clots are just some of the side effects of poor blood circulation.
4. Brain fog
Yes, your brain is also negatively affected by the lack of activity. Moving around and indulging in some activity a few times an hour can boost circulation and promote healthy blood flow to the brain cells, which leads to improved moods and proper brain function.
A lack of movement, on the other hand, slows down brain function and can reduce our performance at work, school, or carrying out our other responsibilities.
5. Neck, shoulders, and back pain
The dull pain you feel in your neck and shoulders is due to the constant sitting and staring at our computer screens all day.
Not only do we experience painful symptoms from taking this position for prolonged periods of time, but we also expose our spine to reduced flexibility and disk damage in the surrounding areas.
Make A Change and Get Moving
There’s a reason why sitting is compared to smoking. Some studies have shown that participants who spent their days sitting for more than eight hours, with little to no activity, exposed themselves to similar risks of dying as an obese individual or a smoker.
Many of us work at jobs that require us to stare at a computer all day, however, this doesn’t mean we can’t add a little movement every now and then.
Heres how can you help your health:
- Try to move around every 30 – 40 minutes.
- If you need to take a phone call or are watching something, try to do it by standing up.
- Standing desks are a great way to incorporate movement throughout your day.
- Make it a habit to take a walk during lunch breaks or at some point during the day.
- Give yourself little massages to alleviate pain from your neck and shoulders.
- Switch out your chair for a large exercise ball. This will keep your core engaged and your muscles active.
- Find a room to do a little yoga during your break.
By being more aware of the dangers that come with prolonged sitting, we can take action and actively pursue a healthy lifestyle that will lead to overall health and well-being.
Quick FAQs
1. Is sitting all day damaging our health?
Sitting all day without any movement or activity is very harmful to our overall health. Lack of activity due to uninterrupted sitting can lead to numerous health problems, including muscle degeneration, increased risk of certain cancers, and reduced brain function.
The content of this Website is for is for informational purposes only, is general in nature and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, and does not constitute professional advice. The information on this Website should not be considered as complete and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions, or their treatment. You should consult with your physician before beginning any exercise, weight loss, or health care program and/or any of the beauty treatments.
References:
Laskowski, M. E. (2018, May 08). Sitting risks: How harmful is too much sitting? Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
The health hazards of sitting. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/national/the-health-hazards-of-sitting/750/?noredirect=on
