Today, many people have an office or sales job which is forcing them to remain sedentary for at least eight hours a day.
Advertisement:
According to an Annals of Internal Medicine report, an average person spends most of their working hours in an inactive state.
The sedentary lifestyle can cause numerous health problems, including poor posture, chronic back pain, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Here is how sitting down for extended periods of time can negatively affect your health.
Back Issues
One of the most common side effects of sitting for prolonged periods of time is the occurrence of back problems. Bad posture leads to inflexible spine, back pain, and disc damage.
When you move around, you allow the soft discs between the vertebrae in the spine to contract and extend, enabling the blood and nutrients to enter.
By sitting for extended hours, the discs become compact and uneven, which can contribute to a buildup of collagen around the ligaments and tendons.
In addition, the people who spend a lot of time in front of a computer are more exposed to the risk of developing herniated lumbar discs.
Leg Disorders
Sitting for too long obstructs the blood circulation in the legs. This results in an accumulation of blood in the ankles, which causes varicose veins, swollen ankles, as well as harmful blood clots.
Moreover, prolonged sitting has a negative effect on the strength and density of the bones. The modern sedentary lifestyle is one of the major culprits for the increase of osteoporosis among the elderly people.
On the other hand, regular activity, such as walking or running, will keep the bones thick, strong, and healthy.
Brain, Neck, and Shoulder Problems
When you are sitting for long periods of time, the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain is reduced, which has a negative impact on your ability to think clearly.
Also, sitting at your desk for too long puts a great strain on your neck, especially on the cervical vertebrae that connect your spine to your head, leading to poor posture.
This can damage your shoulder and back muscles since they remain overextended for a prolonged period of time.
Deterioration of Organs
If you remain in a sedentary position for extended periods of time, you are exposed to the risk of many severe diseases, including cardiovascular disease and colon cancer.
These conditions are caused by overproduction of insulin and poor blood circulation, which occur as a result of inactivity.
Regular movement, on the other hand, is beneficial for destroying the cancer-causing cells and increasing the antioxidants that protect the body from damage caused by harmful free radicals.
Also, overproduction of insulin can be responsible for causing weight gain, which can lead to obesity and diabetes.