Sitting for Long Hours Linked to Health Risks Similar to Smoking
Sitting or lying down for too long increases your risk of chronic health problems. Living a sedentary lifestyle can be dangerous to your health. The less sitting or lying down you do during the day, the better your chances for living a healthy life. If you stand or move around during the day, you have a lower risk of early death than if you sit at a desk. If you live a sedentary lifestyle, you have a higher chance of being overweight, developing diabetes or heart disease and experiencing depression and anxiety.
Legs and bum muscles :
Sitting for extended periods can cause the large leg and glute muscles to weaken and deteriorate. These muscles play a crucial role in walking and providing stability. Weakness in these muscles increases the risk of injuries from falls and strains during physical activity.
Weight :
Active movement helps your body process the fats and sugars you consume. Prolonged sitting reduces digestion efficiency, leading to the retention of fats and sugars as body fat.
Even if you exercise, sitting for long periods still puts you at risk for health issues like metabolic syndrome. Recent studies recommend 60–75 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day to counter the negative effects of excessive sitting.
Hips and Back :
Similar to your legs and glutes, your hips and back won’t provide adequate support if you sit for long stretches. Sitting for extended periods causes your hip flexor muscles to shorten, potentially leading to issues with your hip joints.
Prolonged sitting can also affect your back, particularly if you maintain poor posture or don’t use an ergonomically designed chair or workstation. Bad posture can contribute to spine problems, such as disc compression, which can result in early degeneration and significant pain.
Anxiety and Depression:
While the connection between sitting and mental health is not as well understood as the link between sitting and physical health, we do know that those who sit more tend to have a higher risk of anxiety and depression.
This could be because people who spend long hours sitting miss out on the positive benefits of physical activity and fitness. If this is the case, simply getting up and moving around might help improve mental well-being.
Cancer :
Emerging research indicates that prolonged sitting may increase the risk of developing certain types of cancer, including lung, uterine, and colon cancers, though the exact cause is still unknown.
Heart Disease :
Extended periods of sitting have been linked to heart disease. One study revealed that men who watch more than 23 hours of television a week have a 64% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared to those who watch just 11 hours a week.
Experts suggest that people who are inactive and sit for long stretches have a 147% higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.
Diabetes :
Research has shown that even just five days of lying in bed can increase insulin resistance in your body, raising blood sugar levels beyond healthy ranges. Studies also indicate that people who sit for long periods have a 112% higher risk of developing diabetes.
How can you save your health from the dangers of sitting?
1.Build more activity into your day
2.Be active (and safe)
3.Be active at work
4. Be active indoors
5 Reduce your sedentary Behaviour