We may not think of it in the same way we think at smoking or eating fried food but being sedentary for long periods of time can be just as detrimental on one’s health. Whether it be watching TV, driving to work or just working on your workplace computer many of us spend much of our day being sedentary.
According to Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. James Levine, the majority of people spend a whopping 10-15 hours a day sitting. From sun up to sun down many activities that are part of our daily routine involve this sedentary action.
So how bad is sitting really for our health?
According to Dr. Levine, “there are 34 chronic diseases and conditions associated with excess sitting.” These diseases include type II diabetes, obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and even some Cancers.
Time to Turn off the TV and Put down the Tablet.
One place we have the most control over our sedentary lifestyles is at home. While it may be difficult at first but TV watching is one of the more popular activities we engage in while sitting, it might be time to turn it off. In a study of 8,800 adults, reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, Australian researchers discovered that each hour spent watching TV daily “is associated with an 18% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.” Many of us have turned to other devices at home such as tablet’s and personal computers but the fact still remains these activities promote a sedentary lifestyle.
Keep Your Body Moving
You don’t have to succumb to sitting disease. Here are some easy ways to get moving:
- For 10 minutes of every hour get up and move around
- Stretch your legs
- Stand up during meetings or conduct walking meetings.
- Talk to your supervisor about using a standing desk
- Walk to see your co-workers instead of emailing them
- Use a standing desk or a treadmill desk
- Always choose the stairs
- Track your steps 10k steps a day is a great goal to start at fitbit’s jawbones and other devices can help you keep track of how you are doing.
For those who find themselves still sitting to much Chiropractic care can help.
Sitting especially prolonged sitting puts a tremendous amount of stress on your spine in comparison to standing or lying. This is because while gravity is still in play your core muscles are no longer working so all of you upper body weight is placed on the spinal structures as opposed to being distributed through your core. Furthermore those who have sedentary lifestyles also tend to have postural issues that lead to upper back, neck and headaches. (Read on about the real dangers or tech neck) Chiropractors are especially trained to deal with these specific side effects of sedentary lifestyles.
Remember small changes can make a big difference in quality of life .