Improve your physical health and productivity both at work and at home by understanding the risks of
sitting too long. When you sit, you use less energy than you do when you stand or move. Research has
linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns. They include obesity and a cluster of conditions such as increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and unhealthy cholesterol levels that make up metabolic syndrome. Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer. Any extended sitting such as at a desk, behind the wheel while driving or in front of a screen can be harmful.
The effects of sitting too much:
Humans are built to stand upright. Your heart and cardiovascular system work more effectively that way.
Your bowel also functions more efficiently when you are upright.
Other effect on your body due to sitting too much include:
Legs and gluteal (bum muscles) – Sitting for long periods can lead to weakening and wasting away of the large leg and gluteal muscles. These large muscles are important for walking and for stabilising you. If these muscles are weak, you are more likely to injure yourself from falls, and from strains when you do exercise.
- Weight – Moving your muscles helps your body digest the fats and sugars you eat. If you spend a lot of time sitting, digestion is not as efficient, so you retain those fats and sugars as fat in your body.
- Hips and back – 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 do not use an ergonomically designed chair or workstation. Poor posture may also cause poor spine health such as compression in the discs in your spine, leading to premature degeneration, which is very painful.
- Anxiety and depression – We do know that the risk of both anxiety and depression is higher in people that sit more. This may be because people who spend a lot of time sitting are missing the positive effects of physical activity and fitness.
- Cancer – Emerging studies suggest the dangers of sitting include increasing your chances of developing some types of cancer, including lung, uterine, and colon cancers. The reason behind this is not yet known.
- Heart disease – Sitting for long periods has been linked to heart disease. One study found that men who watch more than 23 hours of television a week have a 64 per cent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than men who only watch 11 hours of television a week.
- Diabetes – Studies have shown that even five days lying in bed can lead to increased insulin resistance in your body (this will cause your blood sugars to increase above what is healthy).
- Varicose veins – Sitting for long periods can lead to varicose veins or spider veins (a smaller version of varicose veins). This is because sitting causes blood to pool in your legs. In rare cases, they can lead to blood clots.
- Deep vein thrombosis – Sitting for too long can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT), for example 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 the leg vein breaks off and travels, it can cut off the blood flow to other parts of the body, including your lungs, which can cause a pulmonary embolism. This is a medical emergency that can lead to major 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.
How can you save your health from the dangers of sitting?
If you are not getting enough activity in your day, it is never too late to turn it around and gain great health
benefits in the process. Be active and safe. If you are new to physical activity, or if you have a health
condition, speak to your doctor before you start any new activities.
Reduce your sedentary behaviour by some simple ideas to keep you moving while at work or at home:
- When you are tidying up, put items away in small trips rather than taking it all together.
- Do the ironing while watching TV.
- Rather than sitting down to read, listen to recorded books while you walk, clean, or work in the garden.
- Stand up while you read emails and reports.
- Move your rubbish bin away from your desk so you have to get up to throw anything away.
- Use the speaker phone for conference calls and walk around the room during the calls.
- Take a break from sitting every 30 minutes.
- If you work at a desk, try a standing desk or improvise with a high table or counter.
- Walk with your colleagues for meetings rather than sitting in a conference room.
- Position your work surface above a treadmill with a computer screen and keyboard on a stand or a specialised treadmill-ready vertical desk so that you can be in motion throughout the day.
- Do not let bad weather stop you from being active. You can do body weight exercises such as squats, sit-ups, and lunges.
Benefits of exercise:
Exercise has been shown to reduce stress, combat fatigue, improve performance and lead to fewer workday absences. A natural stress reducer, exercise combats chronic stress often suffered by workers. With exercise your sleep quality also improves, thus, you wake rested and ready to tackle another day.
Exercise ensures proper brain function in the hippocampus region. Not only does exercise keep blood, glucose and oxygen levels high, feeding the brain, it releases endorphins into the body giving your mood a boost. Aerobic exercise is shown to change the size of the area of the brain involved in memory and learning.
In conclusion:
Overall, research seems to point to the fact that less sitting and more moving contribute to better health. You might start by simply standing rather than sitting when you have the chance. Or find ways to walk
while you work.
The impact of movement even leisurely movement can be profound. For starters, you will burn more
calories. This may lead to weight loss and increased energy. Also, physical activity helps maintain muscle
tone, your ability to move and your mental well-being, especially as you age.
