9 Reasons Why Too Much Sitting Could Hurt Your Health
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1. Increase risk of Chronic Health problems
Increasing studies suggest that prolonged sitting increases the risk of chronic health problems such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. A study has linked prolonged sitting to increased insulin resistance that leads to diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle involves prolonged sitting, which leads to a high risk of heart disease. Though long hours of sitting have been associated with cancer, no clear link has been shown
2. It Hurts Your Heart
Scientists studied two similar groups: transit drivers, who sit most of the day, and conductors or guards, who don’t. Though their diets and lifestyles were a lot alike, those that sat were about twice as likely to get heart disease as those that stood
3. It Can Shorten Your Life
You’re more likely to die earlier from any cause if you sit for long periods at a time. Every organ in your body works better with movement but it still doesn’t help if you exercise every day or not when you sit for prolonged periods. Of course, that’s no excuse to skip the gym. If you do that, your time may be even shorter
4. Bad for the Mental Health
Aside from chronic disease, another health aspect greatly affected by prolonged sitting is mental health. This might be because of a lack of physical movement that helps produce endorphins and other positive effects of physical activity and fitness. Physical exercise promotes a deeper sleep, better energy and brain clarity
5. Weight gain despite exercising regularly
Moving helps our body digest what we eat, specifically fats and sugars. Prolonged sitting lessens the digestion process, which leads to weight gain. It also leads to metabolic syndrome even if you exercise regularly
6. You could get a DVT
Deep Vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in the veins of our legs which is a danger whenever seated for too long. A blood clot in the leg can shift to deposit in the lung or brain and be very serious. Activities such as long road trips or plane rides can cause a DVT. So, frequently moving the ankles and getting up to stretch is key to preventing deep vein thrombosis
7. Leads to back problems
Sitting for an extended period of time can cause back problems, especially with poor posture or when using a chair that is not ergonomically good. Sitting for a prolonged period with poor posture may lead to more severe complications such as compression in the spinal discs, headache and sciatica
8. It leads to varicose veins
Varicose veins or spider veins caused by sitting for a long time can lead to blood pooling on the legs. It may not be harmful but still, lead to more serious conditions like blood clots
9. You’ll Undo All That Exercise
The effects of too much sitting are hard to counter with exercise. Even if you work out 7 hours a week far more than the suggested 2-3 hours you can’t reverse the effects of sitting 7 hours at a time. Don’t throw away all that hard work at the gym by hitting the couch for the rest of the day. Keep moving!
In summary
Sitting does not seem harmful as we do it to rest tired muscles and recoup energy, but we must remember that too much is not good. Taking a break from sitting by stretching or walking a short distance plus proper body mechanics can do the trick to prevent the harmful effects of prolonged sitting
If you feel you need help with chronic health issues and can’t pin down the cause, or you need help with neck or back pain from sitting, give Verona Chadwick a call on 02 66252925 or send a contact request HERE
