How sitting for long hours can impact your health?

You may have heard that sitting for long hours can reduce your lifespan. It may sound surprising to know, but a study finds that sitting for more than 8 hours a day can increase your risk of death to similar levels as people who smoke or are obese. Unexpected, right? We might think sitting is preserving our energy so that we can do other tasks, but the fact is sitting for long hours can reduce the metabolism of the body which can lead to heart diseases, dementia, type 2 diabetes, and other serious health-related issues.

Activities like using a computer, phone or tablets, reading, watching TV, commuting through a car, bus or train, doing work in an office, and so forth make us sit for long hours. Even if you exercise a lot, sitting for 6 or more hours can still cause the same issues.

Sitting and health issues

We'll discuss what harm sitting can do to our body.

1. Back pain: Long sitting sessions can wreck your back. No matter how comfortable your chair is, your back might not like long sessions of sitting. It can be even worse when you slouch.
2. Cancer risk: The chances of cancer in the lungs, endometrial, or colon are more likely to develop. The longer you sit, the longer the odds. Older women can also develop a higher risk of breast cancer.
3. Make you obese: It's so apparent that a sedentary lifestyle will lead to increased weight gain. Too much sitting can have to decrease your metabolic activity leading to increased weight.
4. Depression and anxiety: Anxiety and depression are some of the mental side effects of prolonged sitting. Here's how: sitting in front of the TV or computer can limit sun exposure and social interaction, which will lead to a paucity of vitamin D and a strong feeling of homesickness.
5. Brain damage: Sitting all day in an office or your home can get you less blood and oxygen than required. This can slow down your brain function and prevent your brain from using power optimally. Your brain cells will also not get enough glucose which can lead to the death of those cells.

Tips to avoid a sedentary lifestyle 

1. While watching TV or using the phone, try walking instead of sitting, or during advertisements get up and move.
2. Interact with your colleagues by taking a walk rather than sitting at a cafe or conference rooms.
3. Take a walking lap for 5 minutes every hour. 
4. Maintain good posture by keeping your spine straight; buttocks positioned deep in the chair and shoulders retracted.
5. Use an exercise ball instead of a chair to strengthen core muscles, correct posture, increase body awareness and improve pelvic stability. 

Small things can make a big difference. Start today to rise above a sedentary lifestyle to a healthy one.