Orlando, Fla., – February 2018— Recently you’ve probably seen a lot about sitting for long periods of time, and first you thought what could be so wrong about it? If your feet or legs hurt, your best bet to get some relief is to sit.
If you have one of those smart watches that came out in the market, you’ll be surprised when it tells you that it’s time to stand up for a while. Have you wondered why?
Well, scientists first started to suspect there was something going on with sitting down for extender periods of time, in a study that compared two different groups; one of transit drivers and conductors or guards who didn’t spend as much time sitting. They knew their diets and lifestyles were somehow similar, but those who spend more time sitting were about twice as likely to get a heart disease.
The effects of too much sitting are hard to counter with exercise. Although there is some benefit, even if you exercise every day or seven hours a week which is more that the two to three suggested hours, you are more likely to die of any cause if you sit for long stretches at a time. Also, the obvious is that if you don’t exercise, you need to be prepared for a huge dent in extra weight. Now, your brain, could also suffer making you look just like someone with dementia, because sitting too much raises your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. You may also be more likely to get colon, endometrial, or lung cancer. The more you sit, the higher the odds. Older women have higher odds of breast cancer an it doesn’t change if you’re super-active, what matters is how much you sit.
In the case of diabetes, it isn’t clear why, but doctors think sitting may change the way your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that helps it burn sugar and carbs for energy.
Another good reason to break up long sitting sessions is to prevent a deep vein thrombosis or DVT. This is a clot that forms in your leg and lodges in your lung and some people don’t even show symptoms. You may also get varicose veins and see spider veins, bundles of broken blood vessels nearby. They usually aren’t serious, but they can ache. Your doctor can tell you about treatment options if you need them.
We all know that the seated position puts huge stress on your back muscles, neck and spine. If your work requires you to be seated most of the time, one possible alternative could be to get an ergonomic chair or even one of those new desktops that allows you to switch from sitting to standing while you still continue to work. Bear in mind that a good 1-2 minute break to stretch and relax every half hour can work miracles. Older adults who aren’t active may be more likely to get osteoporosis (weakened bones) and could slowly become unable to perform basic tasks of everyday life, like taking a bath or using the toilet.
While moderate exercise won’t prevent it, you don’t have to go out and run a marathon or take up farming to stay mobile in your golden years. Just don’t plant yourself on the couch for hours at a time. You may now have another great reason to pay attention to those reminders of you brand new smart watch, should that be the case.