The Pitfalls of Sitting all Day

If you’re one of many hardworking people, then you may find that you are sitting at a desk for the majority of your day for at least 5 days a week. And that’s only counting the time you’re at work, not the time spent watching your favorite show on Netflix. Sitting is an inescapable part of life, but we're exploring the pitfalls of sitting all day so that you can help balance out it's negative effects with some positive habits.

You’ve probably been hearing the phrase, “sitting is the new smoking” and while it seems dramatic, studies are showing that this is spot on. Below are some of the ways that prolonged sitting can impact your health, and some ways to help fight back!

- Your cardiovascular system suffers.
While they aren’t exactly sure why, there are numerous studies that show those who sit for long periods of time each day are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular issues than those who don’t. These issues can include increased blood pressure, as well as poor circulation.

How to help:
Exercise before or after work is helpful, but it doesn't fully counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting on circulation. A helpful strategy is to stretch your limbs out and find tiny bits of movement throughout the day. A good goal is to stop every 30 minutes and stand up, shake your limbs out, and help your body circulate more naturally throughout the day.

- It can increase your risk of diabetes.
That’s right, sitting too much can actually affect how your body processes sugar. While doctors aren’t sure why, sitting seems to change the way your body reacts to insulin, which can lead to diabetes.

- You could have a blood clot.
You probably have heard of someone who had a blood clot, but it was from them spending many hours in a bed without moving. The same can happen while sitting at a desk. If you aren’t standing up and stretching or moving around, then you have a higher risk of developing a blood clot, especially one in your leg.

How to help:
Make it a goal to move around gently for a little bit after eating, giving your body a chance to digest while it isn't sitting down in one place. This can look like a brief walk outside, moving around the office to check in on co-workers, or even a quick stretch to keep your legs freer and to help avoid clotting.

- Weight gain.
Living a sedentary lifestyle can cause increased weight gain, even if you are diligent about getting an hour or more of cardio in each day. Unfortunately, just the lack of movement seems to cause issues with how your body metabolizes food, so while standing only burns about 50 calories more an hour, that still helps to increase the number of calories burnt per day.

- Sitting hurts your posture and back.
Unless you have an ergonomic chair and are using it properly, it just won’t do too much for you. When you sit, you most likely will hunch your shoulders forward while typing or you may find that your spine is not aligned properly, which can create issues down the line. There’s even a term called tech neck, which is neck soreness that can occur when you spend too much time looking down at a computer monitor.

How to help:
If possible, try standing and request some more ergonomic friendly setups  at your work (or invest in your health and get them for your home office). Standing desks, walking desks, ergonomic chairs, and the like are all great alternative to staying sednetary for hours on end. They can take an adjustment, but your health is worth it!

The Bottom Line:
There are so many times that you are sitting down, and you probably don’t even realize it, but the pitfalls of sitting all day are still there and they do impact your body. Take time every hour or so to stretch, take a little walk, or even give yourself a two-minute dance break. Your body will appreciate it, and you may find that you feel better.