Pitfalls Of Sitting All Day

If you’re one of the 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 bingeing your favorite show on Netflix. There are a few different issues with that, and we explore the pitfalls of sitting all day so that you can correct this habit before it becomes a serious issue for your health.

You’ve probably been hearing the phrase, “sitting is the new smoking” and while it seems dramatic, studies are showing that is spot on. There are many pitfalls of sitting all day, but one of the most prominent are the issues it causes for your body.

• 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. And while you may think that working out each day balances that out, it doesn’t. Exercise is definitely helping, but working out for an hour each day is not enough to counteract the bad parts of being sedentary all 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.
• 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.
• Increased risk of cancer and dying earlier. They aren’t exactly sure how it correlates, but the studies are showing the risk is there. If you want to have many more years added on to your life, you’ll want to start moving more each day.

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 wreaking havoc on 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.