Sitting All Day: The Health Effects

Sitting all day: beware, danger!

If your job requires you to sit in front of a computer screen for long hours, it could cause you serious health problems. Find out what are the ways to prevent the sitting position and various postures from deteriorating your quality of life.

As soon as we get up, we sit down in front of the table or the counter to take the first meal of the day. Then, we settle in our vehicle, in a seated position, or in public transport (still seated, if there is space) to get to the office. At work? Same thing. And then, after having been seated all day (even at mealtime), we come home to have supper, at the table, and we finally settle down in front of the television set, comfortably seated in an armchair. Finally, we end the day in our bed, to read a little, before falling asleep.

The typical day for those who work from home is even worse, when they only have to take a few steps to be in front of their computer. Travel is almost non-existent.

Do you recognize yourself in these scenarios? In fact, many workers sit more than twelve hours a day. However, for the human being, the seated position is not natural, far from it.

This sedentary lifestyle is not good for their health.

Sitting can lead to many health problems such as:

• Frequent pain, even arthritic diseases, due to lack of flexibility;
• Inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis;
• Poor blood circulation. In addition to the appearance of varicose veins, the slowing of the heart deprives the muscles of the oxygen necessary for their proper functioning;
• Heart disease, particularly due to the increase in the level of bad cholesterol in the blood;
• Increased body weight;
• Weakening of muscles, due to lack of exercise;
• Poor posture, which usually leads to neck and shoulder pain. Back pain can even become permanent;
• A deformation of the bodily stages, in particular injuries to the wrists in those who use computers, and injuries to the neck in those who keep their heads constantly bent;
• Loss of bone mass, mainly in women;
• A risk of developing diabetes;
• a 30% increase in the incidence of colorectal, prostate, colon or breast cancer, in people sitting for more than six hours a day, after 10 or 20 years of this diet.

To avoid problems

The sitting position involves multiple dangers for both health and bodily well-being. However, there are very simple ways to counteract its effects. Here are some suggestions for reducing the time spent in a sitting position:

• Exercise to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels;
• Get up regularly to walk a little, relax your muscles and shake yourself;
• Take a short walk every hour for about 5 minutes;
• Standing in public transport;
• Use the bicycle to go to work and return home;
• Park your vehicle 15 or 20 minutes walk from the office;
• Extend your legs under (or on) the desk;
• Do some stretching during the day;
• Visit your colleagues instead of sending them an e-mail;
• Prefer stairs to elevators;
• Make your workstation as ergonomic as possible (chair, desk, computer screen, workbench) so that it allows frequent changes of position (and working even while standing).

Note: The information in this article is provided to you for informational purposes only and will allow you to ask your doctor informed questions. They can in no way replace the advice of a doctor or health professional.

Our team of experts and editors make every effort to provide you with high-quality information; However, Bestbrighter cannot be held responsible if the content of an article proves to be incomplete or outdated. We remind you that if you think you have a medical problem, it is strongly recommended to consult a doctor.