Sitting for Long Periods of Time and Chronic Diseases

Sitting for long periods of time can be detrimental to your health. Studies show that sitting for more than 10 hours a day is linked to an increased risk for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. Unfortunately, the reality is that most jobs these days require sitting. Researchers estimate that 50% of office workers sit for 8 hours or more each day.

In one study, researchers examined the sedentary behavior of more than 40,000 adults over a period of 7 years. What they found was that participants who sat for more than 11 hours a day had a much greater chance of death from any cause when compared to those who sat less than 4 hours a day. Another study found that people who sat for over 10 hours a day had a 40% increased risk of developing diabetes and were twice as likely to die from heart disease or any other cause.

This research shows just how important it is to avoid sitting all day if you want to stay healthy.

 

Strategies to Avoid Sitting All Day

There are a number of ways you can avoid sitting all day.

1.  The first strategy is to stand up once an hour. Though this may seem like a small task, it's been proven that standing up for just three minutes every hour drastically improves your health.

2.  A second strategy is to take short breaks throughout the day. This can be in the form of a quick walk or a phone call with a friend. The goal is to get your blood flowing and give yourself a chance to relax.

3.  A third strategy you can use is to find ways to move around more during the day by reaching high shelves, walking around while getting work done on your computer, or walking while talking on the phone. These are simple things you can do to help improve your health!

 

Conclusion

Sitting is not kind to your health. It can lead to obesity and chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to combat the effects of sitting all day. Make sure you get up and move around every 20 minutes or so (take a short walk or do some jumping jacks!). You can also make chairs healthier by adding arm rests and using a footrest for support. If you're in an office setting, be sure to use standing desks or sit on a stability ball instead of a chair.

Lastly, take the stairs! With the amount of time we spend sitting during our days, it's important that we make it worth it--especially for our health.