If you are desk-bound for your work or hobbies, you may be impacting your health more than you think. You might already know how much you sit and take breaks to stand, stretch, or walk around. You may even regularly exercise. However, is it enough to combat the negative effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time?
The Short-Term Effects Of Sitting
Sitting is something you do for many reasons besides work, so it can’t be avoided altogether. However, if you sit most days because of your work or lifestyle, there are some short-term effects. In fact, you may be experiencing some of these symptoms right now.
Sitting for long hours can affect your posture. You may feel the strain on your neck, shoulders, and back. You may also feel stiff in your hips and legs. As a result, you lose flexibility over time. Therefore, standing up and stretching or incorporating yoga into your routine is essential to help negate some of these effects.
Sitting also burns fewer calories than standing or moving around. Therefore, it is easier to gain weight or have difficulty losing weight if you sit most of the time. Also, sitting for a long time can make you feel sluggish and tired, making it more challenging to get up and move around.
The Long-Term Effects Of Sitting
Unfortunately, it’s a vicious cycle that can lead to more severe health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancers. Sitting can contribute to poor circulation, which can increase your risk of heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes. It can lead to musculoskeletal issues such as chronic back pain, herniated discs, and spinal misalignment. Furthermore, it can affect your body’s ability to regulate blood sugar and fat metabolization.
The effects go beyond physical. Sitting can also affect your mental health and cognitive functions, such as focus, concentration, productivity, and mood. So, what can you do?
Can Exercise Reverse The Effects of Sitting?
Exercise is essential for your physical and mental health. Regularly engaging in exercise has many benefits, such as maintaining cardiovascular health, muscle strength, and bone density. For most healthy adults, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity every week. You may not be able to do that now, but you can get there with effort and consistency. However, any consistent exercise is a step in the right direction.
A recently published study on JAMA Network Open focused on prolonged sitting to determine if there is a level of physical activity that can counteract its effects. This study followed over 480,000 people, more than half women, for a mean follow-up period of almost 13 years. That’s a lot of data.
The study concluded that there wasn’t any significant increase in mortality for those who alternated between sitting and non-sitting. However, those who mostly sit while working had a 16% higher risk of mortality overall and a 34% increase in early death from cardiovascular disease. So, what can you do to counteract the negative effects of sitting most of the time?
Tips To Help Mitigate The Risks Of Sitting Too Much
According to the study, an additional 15 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise can help mitigate the effects of sitting for prolonged periods. However, you can help reduce the extra effort by making behavioral changes that reduce the time you sit:
- Break up your sitting time by moving around every 30 minutes or so. Stand up and stretch, or go for a brief walk to break up those prolonged periods of sitting. This can help improve your circulation and reduce stiffness.
- Incorporate more movement in your day: You can park further away, take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk during a lunch break, or do body-weight exercises.
- Consider a standing desk that helps you alternate between standing and sitting throughout the day.
- Maintain good posture by sitting with your feet on the floor, your back supported, and your shoulders relaxed. Try to avoid slouching or leaning forward whenever possible.
- Be mindful of how often you sit: If you learn to be more aware of how often you’re sitting, you are more likely to get up and move around.
The Takeaway
Unfortunately, sitting for a long time is considered normal for many occupations. The effects of short-term sitting range from stiffness and soreness to long-term effects such as an increased risk of premature death or developing certain health conditions.
Fortunately, you can help counter the effects by alternating your behavior and include an additional 15 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise on days when sitting for prolonged periods of time. However, any movement is better than no movement at all. By learning to incorporate more activity into your day, you can help mitigate the negative effects of sitting.
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Disclaimer: No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
