Who would have thought a century ago that something which we do and take for granted can lead to the biggest health hazard we have faced in the recent times. No, it is not a deadly habit by the way and it is not even an infection or a virus. But this single practice of ours has put us at maximum risk with regards to our health. We are conversing here about the sitting nature of ours and the ill results it gets us when we sit for too long. The modern man has everything at his fingertips and as a result, the time frames of their sedentary positions have increased drastically. Sitting is really mandatory to relax but the trouble begins when someone spends too much of their time in sitting and not following the exact sitting postures. An average human spends about 13 hours per day in the sitting position which is definably a big no as per the health experts. It has even earned the tag line of “Sitting is the new age smoking”. We have summarized some points as to why sitting for a longer period is bad for your health. Let us have a look at them.
6 Health Hazards of Prolonged Sitting That You Should Know:
1. Obesity
Sedentary lifestyles have a great association with fat accumulation, especially in the abdomen region. Simply put, if your movements are restricted, your body cannot create any mechanism to burn more fat. Sitting for longer durations also does not go well with sugars and fat that we consume. They are not broken down in a proper way a leading to obesity and fat accumulation. Obesity indirectly increases the risk of diabetes, cancer and heart ailments. Rise up from the chair and take a break every 20 – 30 minutes of sedentary sitting.
2. Heart Ailments
Sitting for lengthy durations also impacts your internal organs. The most affected organ is your heart and arteries. Your blood flow depends on a lot of your activities and the more stationery you are the poorer the blood flow becomes. Poor flow of blood can affect your health drastically especially in the matters related to your heart. Blood clogs can occur and which in turn can increase the blood pressure. This extra burden on your heart is the number one reason for heart attacks and many cardiovascular ailments. Do away with prolonged sitting. Your body has been designed to be active and with movements for a reason. Take a walk for short durations to break the routine every now and then.
3. Back Pain
Sitting not only aggravates a medical condition but it can seriously take a toll on your posture too. Prolonged seated position and an improper posture can lead to back aches and in many cases, these symptoms can turn chronic. The postures also put additional pressures on your spine and can gravely affect the gait of a person. Leg cramps and muscle pulls are also the other common conditions that can be associated with it. Always ensure that your sitting postures are proper and make sure that you sit in a pose that is comfortable for your health. Also, take a break to change the routine often.
4. Spike In Blood Sugar Levels
People who sit for a prolonged duration can develop a bigger threat of diabetes. Extra insulin generation is the reason why most people develop diabetes and sitting for extended periods can create more insulin generation by your pancreas. It can also spike up your blood sugar levels and can boost up your blood pressure. Prolonged sitting without any physical activity increases your chances of chronic ailments that are associated with diabetes. Change the posture you sit and go for short interval walks from your routine to beat this.
5. Mental Imbalances
Sitting for prolonged period can also have a serious dent on the way you think and on your overall mental balance as well. Your brain feels good only when it receives an adequate amount of blood and oxygen. Sitting for a lengthy duration hampers these both. It impedes your sense of reasoning and if left unchecked can lead to serious conditions such as Alzheimer. Your decision may also appear cloudy and your judgments may not sound accurate when you have a sedentary lifestyle without any activity.
6. Weak Legs
This goes without saying that the more you sit, the more you bring upon inactivity to your legs. Your joints are the first ones to get affected under such circumstances followed by the gluts. The muscle fibers may not get enough traction whenever you sit for longer durations and this naturally results in the weakening of your legs. Your legs in all aspects carry the entire weight of your body. Once the strength impedes from your legs, this can lead to a host of other issues. Take frequent stretches of your legs and as stated earlier, take adequate breaks in between.
Caution: Please use Home Remedies after Proper Research and Guidance. You accept that you are following any advice at your own risk and will properly research or consult healthcare professional.