Physical activity is important to be fit and healthy. We should exercise for at least 150 minutes a week to reduce the risk caused by sitting for too long.
We have exceptional situations where a person is constrained to a wheelchair or the bed due to medical conditions. However, if you are not among these individuals and yet spend too much time sitting, this article alerts you to begin a change today.
We don’t need to elaborate on this, but there are evident studies published that relate sedentary lifestyle to health conditions such as cardiovascular disorders, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis.
We may blame it on working conditions, but even if you devote 30 minutes of your daily 24 hours to physical exercise, you will help boost your metabolism, further regulating blood sugar levels and blood circulation and keeping these lifestyle association conditions at bay.
Here are some things that may happen if you sit for too long.
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Obesity
A sedentary behavior will slow down your metabolism. This will result in a delayed response of fat breakdown, causing it to accumulate into the fatty tissue. Digestion is also lowered because your movements get hindered when you sit all day long.
Joint Pain
Covid-19 has restricted us from working from home. We spend more than 10 hours in front of the screen with stiff necks and tightened hips. By sitting all day, your lower muscles bear the pressure of keeping your upper body up, causing them to weaken and sometimes leading to muscle atrophy. The joint connection also suffers due to prolonged hours of bent legs in a sitting position.
A Hunch Back
When you are engrossed in your work, you pay very little attention to your posture. With time, you tend to incorporate this poor posture while you walk. A bad posture while sitting causes a compression of the spine discs, leading to premature degeneration and chronic pain.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
DVT is a blood clot that is commonly caused in the legs. These clots are caused due to prolonged sitting and can call in for a medical emergency if the clot migrates to other places such as the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. When such a condition occurs, the blood supply to these areas gets restricted further, leading to reduced oxygen levels.
Depression And Anxiety
Spending too much time in a place with minimal movements can devoid your mind of seeing new perspectives. Physical activity is important for mental health because it takes your mind away from stressful thoughts, leading to depression and anxiety. Though we may overlook this point, the effects of sitting for too long can be reflected on overall mental health.
Varicose Veins
This is a vein condition that occurs when blood gets pooled in the veins. The veins appear to be swollen and become very evident. Though not very critical, rare diseases can lead to swelling, chronic pain, and blood clots. If you observe this type of swelling, then it’s a call for your to initiate movements.
The bottom line!
Why do we have to wait for symptoms to take the right actions? A daily dose of walk or exercise is good enough to supply your cells with oxygen via regulated blood flow. Toxins and harmful substances will leave your body in the form of sweat and urine, keeping infections and illness at bay.
The goal is to be fit, and fitness does not come from just physical health. Your mind, body, and emotions are linked together. Therefore good physical health and mental health are required to be healthy and active. Now that you are aware of the consequences of sitting for long periods change your schedule because prevention is always better than cure.
