The Dangers Of Sitting
Many of Americans have jobs that require long hours at a desk. Studies
estimate we spend anywhere between 7.7 and 15 hours just sitting every
day. The resulting health risks are a serious threat. A sedentary lifestyle
can lead to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and, of course,
obesity, according to reports from the Mayo Clinic.
Some believe they can counteract these health risks by being more active
after a day at the office — for example, hitting the gym for an hour when
they get off work. But research published by Diabetologia, a monthly
medical journal, shows that even exercising regularly does not reduce the
side effects that come with extended hours of sitting.
The only real solution is less sitting and more movement throughout the
day. Standing desks have becoming more and more common — for good
reason. Standing burns 20 percent more calories than sitting, engages your
body’s muscles, and can fend off the physiological effects sitting triggers.
But just standing isn’t enough. You need to be moving throughout the day — at
least two minutes of movement every hour. Walk to the drinking fountain, move
around while on a phone call,park farther away from the building, or try walking
around with coworkers during a meeting instead of sitting in a conference room.
Remember, this habit of less sitting needs to extend outside of the workplace.
Researchers from Loughborough University in England and Victoria University
in Australia found that, even when given a standing desk as work, participants
in their study just began sitting more at home. Combating the habits of a
sedentary lifestyle has to be to be a constant, focused practice.
Deciding to live a more active lifestyle is important, but any time you make
major activity-level changes, it’s important to do them safely. Contact us
at Alta to begin to learn how to find your posture. We can also help you
find the right simple, easy stretching and strengthening exercises to make
every day a day with movement.
