Sitting is Highly Detrimental to Your Health, According to Health Science News Experts
In recent health science news, medical experts have stated that sitting is highly detrimental to the health. Numerous studies have been conducted and the evidence made possible by these studies indicates that sitting too much is considered to be bad for our health, and many negatively impact our overall life expectancy. Individuals that sit for long periods of time may experience mental health complications, suffer from metabolic syndrome, suffer from obesity, develop cardiovascular disease, and even have an increased risk of developing cancer. Individuals in the medical field, such as those that hold a physical therapy certification and/or a doctorate, recommend moving to optimize the health. In this medical guide, you will learn about the detrimental effects of sitting for long periods of time, based on the information being released in health science news stories.
Basic Statistics on “Sitting Disease”
In health science news, we are seeing the term, “Sitting Disease” more and more often. Individuals within the scientific and medical-based communities are starting to commonly use this term as it relates to the ill-effects presented by living a lifestyle that is considered to be overly sedentary. At this time, “Sitting Disease” is not considered to be a diagnosable illness; however, doctors, professional physical therapy experts, and others that work within the health care field do not doubt that, one day, it will be. A study conducted by the Vanderbilt University that involved a total of 6,300 people estimated that the average individual in the United States spends approximately 55% of their waking hours, or 7.7 hours each day, engaging in sedentary-based behaviors, such as sitting. Another study conducted by the American Cancer Society followed 123,216 people. 69,776 of these people were females and 53,440 of these people were men. The following statistics were established and presented in the health science news section of the publication known as the “American Journal of Epidemiology”:
- Females that sat over 6 hours each day and were, generally, inactive were 94% more likely to experience death than females who sat less than 3 hours each day and were more physically active.
- Men who sat for over 6 hours each day and led inactive lives were 48% more likely to experience death than the counterparts that were active and stood more often.
- Based on the findings, the negative aspects of sitting for long periods of time were just as evident in those that engaged in exercise on a regular basis.
What Happens When We Sit for Long Periods of Time?
In order to understand the information being presented in health science news by doctors, professional physical therapy experts, and other types of researchers and scientists, there are many detrimental effects that start to occur within the body when we sit for prolonged periods of time. Examples of these effects are as follows, according to an article released by The Washington Post called, “The Health Hazards of Sitting”:
- When a person sits for an extended amount of time, brain functioning and processes slow down; however, when muscles in the body are in motion, fresh blood and oxygen is pumped through the brain and chemicals that enhance the functioning of the brain and the person’s mood are released.
- Many individuals sit as a result of working or being on a computer. When this happens, the craning of the neck occurs. This could lead to severe strain on the cervical vertebrae and could lead to a large number of imbalances.
- When a person sits for long periods of time, the soft discs located between the vertebrae in the spine are unevenly squashed. Additionally, the collagen in the area completely hardens around the ligaments and tendons that offer support to the spine.
- The muscles burn a significantly less amount of fat in the body and the blood flows at a much slower rate when the body is sitting. This allows fatty acids within the body to clog the heart more easily. As a result, people who sit for long periods of time are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and are more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases.
- When sitting for a long period of time, the cells located in the non-active muscles do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is being produced by the pancreas. As a result, it continues to produce the insulin. This could result in the onset of diabetes and other types of insulin-related illnesses and diseases.
- Many medical professionals have expressed in health science news articles that people that sit for a long period of time are more likely to suffer from various types of cancers – such as colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and breast cancer. The theory is, because of the increased insulin production, cell growth is encouraged. There is another theory that cancers are more likely to develop in those that sit a lot because movements of the body boosts the production of antioxidants that are known to kill cancer-causing free radicals.
- Because of the inactivity that occurs with long periods of sitting, it is common for the muscles in the abdominal region, the hips, and the glutes to degenerate.
- Leg disorders, such as circulation complications and softening of the bones, are common among those that sit for long periods of time.
Get Moving!
If you find yourself sitting for long periods of time – whether at work or during leisure time – it is imperative that you get moving! According to health science news, doctors, and professional physical therapy experts, there are many activities that you may engage in that will assist you in reducing the ill-effects that may occur as a result of a sedentary lifestyle. Examples of these activities include sitting on something that is a bit wobbly, such as an exercise ball. This will force your muscles to continue to work, even though you are sitting. You should stretch your hip flexors at least three minutes each once every single day. If you sit while watching television, be sure to walk around, stretch, and exercise during commercial breaks, in order to reduce being detrimentally impacted by sitting. In addition to these activities, you may elect to work with a professional physical therapy professional. These individuals will exercise and stretch your body so that you are able to enjoy optimal health. Do not allow your health to be detrimentally impacted by sitting in the ways that the health science news articles are expressing; simple get up and move!