How to Avoid the Negative Effects of Sitting All Day

For the big majority of People, going to work means lengthy hours of sitting down at a desk. And with colder, darker days incoming, it’s probably that many individuals will spend growing quantities of their free time sitting down, too.

Sitting for lengthy intervals of time at a desk or in entrance of a display screen can take a toll on an individual’s psychological and bodily well being. Plus, a big research revealed earlier this yr in JAMA Community Open discovered that those that have been sedentary at work had a 34% elevated danger of mortality from heart problems and a 16% elevated danger of all-cause mortality.

Being sedentary for lengthy intervals of time has change into more and more widespread, particularly with extra individuals working from dwelling, stated Anel Pla, CPT, licensed private coach at 5 Level Zero Health.

“The standard workplace employee spends round 10 hours a day sitting, whether or not it’s in entrance of a pc monitoring emails, making calls, or writing stories, and even throughout lunch,” Pla informed Well being. “Then, after work, it’s extra sitting in entrance of the TV or shopping the online.”

But when “sitting is the brand new smoking,” is there something workplace employees can do to guard their well being? Fortunately, analysis additionally reveals that including extra motion into your day might help mitigate these points. Within the JAMA Community Open research, members who alternated between sitting and shifting at work didn’t see an elevated danger of a shortened lifespan.

“These findings emphasize the necessity to cut back extended sitting within the office and improve each day bodily exercise,” Wayne Gao, PhD, first creator of the research and affiliate professor on the Taipei Medical College Faculty of Public Well being in Taiwan, informed Well being.

Right here’s what consultants needed to say concerning the well being penalties of sitting for lengthy intervals and what you are able to do to keep away from these damaging results—even should you work a 9-to-5.

Spending massive parts of your day sitting down can have a variety of results in your physique.

For one, it has been related to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of circumstances together with hypertension, elevated blood sugar, extra physique fats, and irregular levels of cholesterol, “all of which up your danger for coronary heart illness, stroke, and sort 2 diabetes,” Pla defined.

Sitting for lengthy intervals of time has additionally been related to different persistent circumstances, together with weight problems and dementia danger.

This will occur as a result of when the physique’s largest muscle tissue aren’t shifting, it burns energy much less effectively, Cheng-Han Chen, MD, PhD, heart specialist and medical director of the structural coronary heart program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Heart, informed Well being. 

“In case your muscle tissue aren’t energetic, then you definitely’re not metabolizing glucose within the physique, and so your physique will get dangerous blood sugar regulation,” Chen defined. “It simply form of will get out of form.”

As a result of individuals who sit extra don’t transfer their muscle tissue as a lot, they’re additionally in danger for muscle loss and impaired blood circulate, Pla added. This muscle loss, once more, places an individual liable to persistent circumstances reminiscent of hypertension.

Ache and spinal points are additionally a priority, Jeremy Smith, MD, orthopedic backbone surgeon at Hoag Orthopedic Institute, informed Well being.

“I see sufferers who’ve sat a desk job for years have a major change of their spinal alignment and persistent ache,” Smith defined. “Sitting for hours throughout the day with out a break contributes to persistent again and neck ache, spinal misalignment, and degenerative change,” or points with the discs in an individual’s backbone.

Basically, “our our bodies simply aren’t constructed for sitting all day,” stated Pla. “We’re meant to face straight and transfer.”

Due to the damaging well being penalties of a sedentary way of life, it’s finest for individuals to keep away from sitting for lengthy intervals of time every day. Nonetheless, work schedules usually make {that a} difficult activity.

However consultants say there are nonetheless issues individuals can do to mitigate the well being dangers related to extended sitting, Gao stated.

Employers ought to combine extra frequent breaks into their workers’ routines, give entry to standing desks, set up particular workspaces for bodily exercise, and supply health club membership advantages, Gao and his staff beneficial.

“These adjustments might help shift the tradition and notion surrounding extended occupational sitting,” he stated. “By selling an setting that encourages motion and bodily exercise, people could also be extra motivated to scale back their sitting time and undertake more healthy habits.”

These systemic adjustments to office tradition could take time to implement. However for now, consultants stated every particular person can attempt to make the next adjustments in the event that they’re sitting an excessive amount of at work:

Take common breaks. Set a timer to remind your self to face, stretch, or stroll, Chen stated. Researchers discovered that five-minute walks each half-hour offset the damaging well being results of sitting.
Spend money on sure workplace tools. Workplace tools that permits you to incorporate extra motion into your day-to-day could possibly be helpful. You may attempt a standing desk, stated Smith, an ergonomic chair, or a desk treadmill, Pla added.
Alter your workspace. Remember to regulate chairs, desks, and any screens or screens in order that they’re on the right peak to advertise good posture and stop slouching.
Interact in common bodily exercise. Make an effort to incorporate common bodily exercise in your routine, reminiscent of strolling, working, weightlifting, dancing, biking, and different actions. Purpose for at the very least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity bodily exercise per week.
Stretch and carry out sure workouts at your desk. There are numerous workouts and stretches that you are able to do whereas seated or close to your desk, Chen stated, reminiscent of neck stretches, shoulder rolls, and the determine 4 stretch. You too can do occasional squats, standing lunges, or wall push-ups close to your workspace to interact your muscle tissue, he added.

“Discover alternatives for bodily exercise. Search for methods to include bodily exercise into your each day routine,” Gao stated. “Take the steps as a substitute of the elevator, stroll or bike to work if potential, or take a stroll throughout your lunch break. Small adjustments like these could make a major distinction.”