Is Sitting The New Smoking?

Whether working, writing, studying, completing assignments, watching something, drawing, or anything and everything we do involves sitting for long hours. We all are so fond of our sedentary lifestyle that we often tend to ignore the ill effects. While indulging in our work, we forget what our body is going through all this while.

Just the way smoking kills us slowly and gradually, the same way sitting too is bad for our health. Sitting all day can be so dangerous to our system that it can cause chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancers, osteoporosis, etc.

Effects Of Sitting:

• Heart Diseases- sitting or lying down for too long can cause the arteries to block and increase the risk of heart diseases. Studies have shown that sitting can increase the risk of diabetes by 2 times.
• Respiratory Disorders- there is increased stress on the diaphragm while we are sitting in a slouched position. Sitting for too long also decreases the lung capacity, which gradually over tie can develop into respiratory disorders.
• Obesity- reduced exercise or movement and sitting for as much as 8 hours, will accumulate fat around the waist and cause obesity. Abnormal cholesterol levels are also a consequence of a sedentary lifestyle.
• Reduced Bone Health- not moving from a fixed place and being in a fixed posture will ultimately degrade bone health. Lower back pain, neck pain, and pain in the joints are also due to too much sitting and poor bone health. It can also lead to problems like cervical and osteoporosis even at a very young age.
• Bad Posture- we often tend to slouch while working on a laptop or smartphone, writing, or doing anything when we are sitting. That will lead to slouching of the shoulders, text neck, and eventually a really unattractive posture.
• Mental Disorders– sitting for more than 8 hours can result in decreased motivation and concentration, a high level of anxiety, and no will to go out. All this will contribute to mental health disorders like depression and anxiety, over time.
• Cancers- little less to no movement will aid the abnormal multiplication of cells and cause cancers.

Break The Cycle:

• To break this cycle, you should take a walk after 2 hours for at least 15 minutes.
• Get up and fill your water, it will refresh your mind and include movement in your body.
• Stretch in between, so that the blood circulation is in check.
• Keep your spine and neck straight while working or sitting. Don’t slouch.

Now the question, is sitting really the new smoking? Yes, it is! Prolonged sitting (more than 8 hours) every day has been shown to cause severe diseases. Just like smoking, sitting can degrade the quality of life as the end results are the same. You might feel comfortable for now, but in the long run, you will start observing signs and symptoms of certain diseases.

Footnote:

Keep a reminder and move after every 2 hours of sitting, despite how important your work is. Nothing is more important than health and well-being. Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy core and strong bones. And remember, don’t slouch!