Risks of Prolonged Sitting

Sitting for a prolonged period of time and also physical inactivity leads to a decrease in blood flow thus resulting in multiple diseases. The world health organization has advised at least mild exercise for about 150 minutes per week. Sitting risks in regular life is discussed below.

Causes of sitting

• The body’s metabolism and the way the lipoprotein lipase enzyme breaks down our fat deposits are both slowed down by prolonged sitting. On the other hand, both blood pressure and blood glucose levels rise.
• Sitting ideal for nine hours is usual nowadays, but there should be some more walking, and stretching in between which is much required.
• Reduce your sitting time, according to research, and you can lower your risk of developing cancer, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and back discomfort.

How it affects your daily life

Obesity

• Moving your muscles frequently help your body digest fats and sugars easily. If you fail to do that so, then your digestion process gets slow and ends up in metabolic syndrome.
• Metabolic syndrome is a condition where your body increases the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. The primary factors are obesity, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.
• You can overcome metabolic syndrome by eating healthy foods and increasing physical activity.
• Even though you work out and spend more time sitting down, it makes no difference.

Hips and Back

• Sitting for a prolonged period causes pain especially if you fail to use an ergonomic chair or sit in a bad posture.
• Your hip flexor muscles shorten while you’re sitting, which may cause issues with your hip joints.
• Poor posture can cause health issues such as compression in your spine disc and cause premature degeneration.

Cardiovascular disease

• Research says that men who sit in front of the television for 23 hours per week are more likely to have heart disease than men who watch the device 11 hours per week.
• Few experts say people who are inactive without any physical exercise or movements are at 147% high risk of heart attack or stroke.

Diabetes

• Sitting risks may increase the blood sugar level, by about 112%.
• That is why doctors often prescribe healthy walking for diabetic patients along with medicines.

How does it affect globally?

• Over three million unnecessary deaths worldwide each year (or 6% of all fatalities) are attributed to physical inactivity. It is the fourth most common reason for non-communicable disease-related deaths.
• Additionally, it is the root cause of between 21 and 25% of cases of breast and colon cancer, 27% of cases of diabetes, and roughly 30% of cases of ischemic heart disease. In Australia, lack of physical activity is second only to cigarette use as a cause of cancer.
• Results from the National Health Survey revealed that 24.5% of adults between the ages of 18 and 64 reached the recommended levels of physical exercise.

Change your sedentary behavior immediately

By changing your regular habits you can improve your overall health, yes you heard it right. Here are some of the tips you can replace with your current one. 

• Be active to the best of your possible
• Try using stairs instead of elevators
• Take a walk or cycle to the nearest store
• Replace outdoor games rather than indoor ones, you can replace with swimming, dancing, yoga, and physical games
• Avoid television for long hours and video games.

Is smoking equivalent to sitting? The causes mentioned are enough to prove sitting is a new smoking. Eating healthy and regular physical exercise makes you feel fit both physically and mentally.