Is Sitting the New Smoking?
Living a sedentary lifestyle can be dangerous to your health. The less time you spend sitting or lying down during the day, the better your chances of living a healthy life.
If you stand and move around during the day, you have a lower risk of developing weight problems, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and experiencing anxiety and depression.
So, how does not moving affect your body?
We, as humans, are meant to stand upright. Our cardiovascular system and heart work more effectively that way. Your bowels function better when you are upright as well. Being physically active increases your endurance, energy levels and helps your bones to maintain strength.
Legs and gluteals (bum muscles)
Here is where the hips, lower back, knees, and calves come into play. Sitting for long periods can weaken and waste away the large leg and gluteal muscles. These large muscles are essential for walking and stabilizing you.
The muscles at the back of the leg (hamstrings) can tighten, and the quads on the front of the leg will also tighten, causing the knee, hip and lower back to destabilize. The knee can become misaligned, and inflammation can occur in any of the surrounding joints.
Hips and back
Just like your legs and gluteals, your hips and back will not support you as well if you sit for long periods. Sitting causes your hip flexor muscles to shorten, which can lead to problems with your hip joints.
Sitting for long periods can also cause problems with your back, especially if you consistently sit with poor posture or don’t use an ergonomically designed chair or workstation. Poor posture can also lead to poor spine health, including disc compression, which can result in premature degeneration and significant pain.
Yikes, set your timer to get up and move!
Weight
Moving your muscles helps your body digest the fats and sugars you eat. If you spend a lot of time sitting, your digestion becomes less efficient, allowing you to retain fats and sugars as fat in your body.
Even if you exercise but spend a lot of time sitting, you still risk health problems like metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, abdominal obesity, and abnormal levels of cholesterol or triglycerides.
Get up and move for at least 60 to 75 minutes per day through moderate-intensity activities to counteract the risks associated with prolonged sitting.
Anxiety and depression
Some suggest that people who sit for long periods and are sedentary are more prone to anxiety and depression. This may be because individuals who spend a significant amount of time sitting often miss the positive effects of physical activity and fitness. If so, getting up and moving may help.
Heart disease
Sitting for long periods has been linked to heart disease. Some experts say that people who are inactive and sit for long periods have a 147 percent higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
Diabetes
Studies have shown that even five days of lying in bed can increase insulin resistance in your body (this will cause your blood sugars to rise above what is healthy). Research suggests that people who spend more time sitting have a 112 percent higher risk of diabetes.
Varicose veins
Sitting for long periods can lead to varicose or spider veins (a smaller version of varicose veins). This is because sitting causes blood to pool in your legs. Varicose veins aren’t usually dangerous. In rare cases, they can lead to blood clots, which can cause serious problems (see deep vein thrombosis below).
Deep vein thrombosis
Sitting too long can cause deep vein thrombosis on a long plane or car trip. A deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in the veins of your leg.
DVT is a serious problem because if part of a blood clot in a leg vein breaks off and travels, it can block blood flow to other parts of the body, including the lungs, which can cause a pulmonary embolism. This medical emergency can lead to significant complications or even death.
Stiff neck and shoulders
If you spend your time hunched over a computer keyboard, this can lead to pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders.
Below are some practical ideas on how you can save your health from the dangers of sitting.
If you’re not getting enough activity in your day, it’s not too late to turn it around and gain significant health benefits in the process.
*Build more activity into your day
Some ways you can incorporate activity into your day are:
- Walk or cycle, and leave the car at home.
- For longer trips, consider walking or cycling part of the way.
- Use the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, or at least walk up the escalator.
- Get off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of the way.
- Park away from wherever you’re going and walk the rest of the way.
- Calculate how long it takes to walk one kilometre – you may find you can reach your destination faster by walking than if you wait for public transport.
*Be active (and safe)
If you’re new to physical activity or have a health condition, consult your doctor before starting any new exercise regimen. They can help you decide the best activities for you. If you’re getting active outdoors, remember to protect yourself from the sun by applying sunscreen and wearing sun-protective clothing, including a hat.
*Be active at work
- You can move around at work more than you think:
- Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Walk over and talk to your colleagues instead of emailing them.
- Take your lunch break from your desk and enjoy a short walk outside.
- Organize walking meetings.
*Be active indoors
- Don’t let bad weather stop you from being active! You can do bodyweight exercises such as squats, sit-ups, and lunges.
- You can also try indoor activities such as:
- dancing
- swimming at an indoor pool
- yoga
- Pilates
- martial arts
- squash
- indoor rock climbing.
Reduce your sedentary behaviour
Here are some simple ideas to keep you moving while you’re at home:
- When tidying up, put items away in small trips rather than taking them all together.
- Set the timer on your television to turn off an hour earlier than usual to remind you to get up and move.
- Walk around when you’re on the phone.
- Stand up and do some ironing during your favourite television shows.
- Rather than sitting down to read, listen to recorded books while walking, cleaning, or working in the garden.
- Stand on public transport, or get off one stop early and walk to your destination.
- If you work in an office:
- Stand up while you read emails or reports.
- Move your rubbish bin away from your desk so you have to get up to throw anything away.
- Use the speakerphone for conference calls and walk around the room while on the call.
Remember, small daily changes can have big impacts!
References: 10 Dangers Associated With Too Much Sitting » News Daily. https://newsdaily.co.ke/10-dangers-associated-with-too-much-sitting/
The dangers of sitting: Why sitting is the new smoking | Tehelka. http://tehelka.com/the-dangers-of-sitting-why-sitting-is-the-new-smoking/
7 Habits of the Healthiest and Happiest People - Soulmates Dating Blog. https://blog.soulmates.dating/7-habits-of-the-healthiest-and-happiest-people/
