What Happens When You Sit for Prolonged Periods?
As COVID-19 hit the world, more and more people are WFH or working from home. Where it’s possible, employers are encouraging or requiring people to work from home for an indeterminate amount of time. If you’re new to the work-from-home lifestyle, whether due to coronavirus or because you’ve managed to find a remote-based job, you’ll need to change some of your habits and routines to make working from home a success. But if you are already used to working from home, you might want to read this article by Tropika Club, to find out what are the dangers and pitfalls of sitting for prolonged periods.
Sitting for long periods of time is like adding water to a grease fire– it will only make things worse. “The body must be moving for some amount of time every hour,” she describes. Fact be informed, a lot can take place from simply sitting at your desk for hours at a time. The next time you feel like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, get up and go for a leisurely walk to get things moving again.
Table of Contents
No Time to Read? Here’s a Snappy Summary of This Article
- Sitting too much can lead to health problems: such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and premature death.
- Sitting affects your muscles and bones: causing muscle atrophy, reduced bone density, and lower back pain.
- Sitting impacts your blood circulation and metabolism: slowing down the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your cells, and increasing the risk of blood clots and inflammation.
- Sitting alters your posture and mood: making you more prone to slouching, neck strain, headaches, and depression.
- Sitting can impair your brain function and memory: reducing the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that stimulates the growth of new brain cells and connections.
- You can reduce the negative effects of sitting by moving more: such as taking breaks every 30 minutes, stretching, walking, standing, or using a standing desk.
After One Day
Truth be told, a lot can occur from just sitting at your desk for hours at a time. “After a little bit of sitting, your postural muscles ‘dial down’ their shooting power, so you will as a result droop into the seat,” states Heimann. “With each hour that goes by in a seated position, the decreased activation of the postural muscles– muscles around the axial skeleton, including ribs, spine, and hips– further impacts the limb musculature, resulting in reduced blood and lymph flow.”
However, you can’t simply blame your day job for being immobile. Dr. Geier discusses that while it can be the main reason you’re sitting for long duration of time, inactive activities like watching TV or playing video games can be damaging if they’ve ended up being a replacement for healthier, movement-based activities.
After One Week
Whether you’ve had to skip the gym for a week or choose to remain at your desk more than you ‘d like to admit, you might start to observe that your muscle tone might not be the very same as previously.” [This] affects how well your blood is distributed in the body. You will have reduced muscular power and endurance, along with metabolic changes that put you at greater risk for avoidable illness like diabetes and heart problem,” says Heimann.
Orthopedic surgeon and sports medication specialist Dr. David Geier adds that while exercise is excellent, it’s a lot more crucial to include low-intensity, steady-state activities, like taking leisurely walks and cleaning the house. “It’s not simply essential for present health factors but to likewise live much healthier lives later on down the line,” he states. When you live a sedentary way of life, here’s what truly happens over time.
According to Heimann, being sedentary for this length of time can even age you by a year. “Without the needed movement of the musculoskeletal system, all systems are negatively impacted and stressed, which has a damaging influence on your overall health,” she states. “Being inactive for that long is like being put in a time capsule that avoids ahead; it’s the equivalent of aging without gaining any of the benefits of memory or experience.” Think we much better start moving.
You might even put yourself at threat for a cold. “Different research studies reveal that sitting for as low as 30 minutes can start to affect the lymphatic system,” says Heimann. “The body requires to move for the lymph system to operate, and the lymphatic system is accountable for our body immune system.”
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After One Month
” Being sedentary for one month is damaging to all systems of the body,” says Heimann. “Not only will you lose muscle mass, however you’ll likewise lose bone mass and your cardiopulmonary effectiveness will be lessened.” Continuing to sit for long periods of time can likewise negatively impact your nerve system, which can alter your mood, brain function, and energy levels, according to Heimann.
Continuing to sit for long durations of time can also adversely affect your anxious system, which can alter your state of mind, brain function, and energy levels, according to Heimann.
You may also see that your muscles feel a little tight. “The connective tissue that is ubiquitous in the body– called fascia– can end up being adhered to the surrounding muscles, producing a feeling of stickiness and rigidity.” So the next time you feel like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz, get up and go for a leisurely walk to get things moving again.
After Six Months
In between 6 months to a year, Dr. Geier specifies that these habits are more difficult to break, especially as you grow older. While you might notice a boost of fat has appeared around your abdomen, these perilous modifications occur slowly with time.
” The body is actually made to move,” states creator of Movement by Lara and physical therapist Lara Heimann. “It’s built of bones, muscles, soft tissues, and organs, all of which depend upon movement to function optimally.” While Heimann says that individuals do not need to exercise aggressively– too much endurance can be damaging for some individuals’s health– it’s essential to move as regularly as possible. “The body should be moving for some quantity of time every hour,” she discusses. “In other words, it’s much better to move for 10 minutes out of a 60-minute period than to be inactive for 8 hours and then move for one hour.”
Conclusion
So, now you know the dangers of sitting too much and how it can affect your health, your mood, and your brain. But don’t worry, you don’t have to quit your desk job or give up your Netflix binge. You just have to make some simple changes to your lifestyle and habits to counteract the negative effects of sitting.
The key is to move more and sit less. Try to break up your sitting time by getting up every 30 minutes and moving around. You can stretch, walk, do some squats, or even dance. Anything that gets your blood flowing and your muscles working. You can also use a standing desk, a stability ball, or a treadmill desk to vary your posture and position while working. Or, you can join a fitness class, go for a jog, or play a sport after work to burn some calories and boost your mood.
Another thing you can do is to improve your sitting posture and ergonomics. Make sure your chair is comfortable and supports your lower back. Adjust your monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the right height and distance. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders relaxed. And don’t forget to blink and look away from the screen every now and then to prevent eye strain and headaches.
By following these tips, you can reduce the risks of sitting too much and enjoy a healthier, happier, and smarter life. Remember, sitting is not the new smoking, but it can still harm you if you do it too much. So, get up and get moving today! And don’t forget to check out Tropika Club Magazine for more articles on health, beauty, and wellness.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: What are the health risks of sitting for prolonged periods?
Sitting for prolonged periods can lead to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and premature death. It can also affect your muscles, bones, blood circulation, metabolism, posture, mood, brain function, and memory.
Q: How can I reduce the negative effects of sitting?
You can reduce the negative effects of sitting by moving more and sitting less. Try to break up your sitting time by getting up every 30 minutes and moving around. You can also use a standing desk, a stability ball, or a treadmill desk to vary your posture and position while working. Or, you can join a fitness class, go for a jog, or play a sport after work to burn some calories and boost your mood.
Q: How can I improve my sitting posture and ergonomics?
You can improve your sitting posture and ergonomics by making sure your chair is comfortable and supports your lower back. Adjust your monitor, keyboard, and mouse to the right height and distance. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your shoulders relaxed. And don’t forget to blink and look away from the screen every now and then to prevent eye strain and headaches.
Q: How common is prolonged sitting among office workers in Singapore?
According to a survey conducted by AIA Vitality in 2016, 95% of office workers in Singapore engage in prolonged sitting, a sedentary behaviour known to be associated with a myriad of health problems. Despite this, 56% of office workers do not take regular breaks while sitting.
Q: What are some simple exercises I can do in the office?
There are some simple exercises you can do in the office to stay active and stay in shape. For example, you can do seated crunches, seated stepping, seated push-ups, chair dips, leg extensions, neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, arm circles, wrist stretches, ankle rotations, etc. You can also check out this article on HealthHub for more ideas: Simple Exercises for Office Workers.
Q: Where can I find more articles on health, beauty, and wellness?
You can find more articles on health, beauty, and wellness on Tropika Club Magazine. Tropika Club Magazine is your go-to source for tips, tricks, reviews, and recommendations on everything related to lifestyle and wellness in Singapore. Whether you are looking for the best spas, salons, gyms, clinics, or products in Singapore, Tropika Club Magazine has got you covered. Visit our website at https://magazine.tropika.club/ to explore our content and discover the best deals and promotions near you.
Tropika Club Magazine – Tropika Club Magazine is a Singapore-based publication that features articles on a wide range of topics with a focus on local businesses and content for the region. The magazine emphasizes supporting local businesses through its #SupportLocal initiative, which includes coverage of everything from neighborhood hawker stalls to aesthetic clinics in town. In addition to highlighting local businesses, Tropika Club Magazine also covers a variety of local content, including beauty, lifestyle, places, eats, and what’s on in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.
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