Your health could be in danger if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Your chances of leading a healthy life are increased if you spend less time sitting or lying down throughout the day.
Sedentary lifestyles are associated with an increased risk of being overweight, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, and anxiety.
Sitting for extended periods of time can nearly double the risk of having heart failure. People who sit in one spot and work for more than eight hours a day are 20 per cent more prone to have a heart attack or a stroke.
According to recent study, office workers are more likely to experience cardiovascular events including heart attacks and strokes. People who work more than eight hours a day sitting still are 20% more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke, finds a study from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College.
Looking into our harmful habits
The study took place over the period of 11 years, and the researchers looked at the records of 105,677 individuals in 21 different countries. Over 6,200 deaths had been reported by the time the study was over.
There were also 2,300 cases of heart attacks, 3,000 cases of strokes, and 700 cases, however the majority of them did not result in death. Depending on how much time research participants spent at their workstations, they were divided into various groups.
A study that was published in JAMA Cardiology allowed scientists to determine whether or not there was a trend. The study also found that regular exercise could aid in lowering the dangers associated with prolonged workstation sitting.
What Do Scientists Say?
According to the study’s experts, reducing the amount of time spent sitting at a desk and boosting physical activity can have effects similar to those of quitting smoking.
Additionally, doctors have always advocated for taking breaks during the workday. According to the study, persons who frequently exercised had a 17% likelihood of developing heart-related disorders, compared to people who did not routinely exercise who had a 50% chance.
Wei Li, the study’s lead researcher, endorsed a more active way of life. Additionally, it was discovered that prolonged periods of inactivity and inactivity were to blame for 5.8% of heart disease cases and 8.8% of fatalities.
On the other side, when you exercise, your total energy levels and endurance increase, and your bones continue to be strong.
Legs and gluteals (bum muscles)
Long durations of sitting can cause the major leg and gluteal muscles to weaken and atrophy. These powerful muscles help you stabilize yourself while you walk.
Weight
You still run the risk of health issues like metabolic syndrome even if you workout but spend a lot of time sitting down. According to the most recent studies, you should engage in 60 to 75 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day to counteract the risks of prolonged sitting.
Depression and anxiety
Although we still don’t fully understand the connections between sitting and mental and physical health, we do know that those who spend more time sitting are more likely to experience anxiety and sadness.
This might be the case because those who spend a lot of time sitting miss out on the benefits of fitness and physical activity. Moving about might be helpful in this case.
Heart condition
Heart disease has been connected to prolonged sitting. According to one study, men who watch more than 23 hours of television per week are 64% more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than men who watch only 11 hours per week.
According to some specialists, those who are inactive and remain still for extended periods of time have a 147% increased risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
How can you save your health from the dangers of sitting?
You still have time to change your behavior and improve your health if you don’t get enough exercise each day.
Increase your daily activity level.
You can add exercise to your day in a variety of ways, including:
- Leave the car at home and go for a walk or a bike ride.
- Walk or ride a bike some of the way for longer journeys.
- Instead of using the elevator or escalator, take the steps, or at the very least, ascend it on foot.
- Get off the bus at the next stop and continue walking.
Cut back on your sedentary habits
Here are some easy suggestions to keep you active when at home:
- Instead than taking everything out at once when cleaning up, put things away in little excursions.
- To remind you to get up and move, set your television’s timer to turn off an hour earlier than usual.
- While on the phone, move around.
- Listen to audiobooks while you walk, clean, or work in the garden rather than sitting down to read.
