Our society is sitting now more than ever and our health is paying for it. So many people today work in sedentary jobs that require them to sit for most of the workday, whether behind a desk or a computer screen.
Children are not immune to sedentary lives either; they sit all day in school and don’t have daily P.E. classes. Adults and children alike spent hours on a tablet, phone or computer for recreational use.
The “Sitting Disease“, much like the condition”Text Neck” is a term used by the health community to refer to negative effects of excessive sitting and an overly sedentary lifestyle.
Here are some fast facts of the Sitting Disease: 
- The average person sits 13 hours a day
- They are inactive for a total of 21 hours a day (work, school, commuting, TV, computer use, and sleep)
- Inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for global mortality
- Decrease of blood flow and oxygen to the brain occurs after just 30 minutes of inactivity
Research has shown direct links between sedentary lifestyles and diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Inactivity is truly one of the most underestimated and minimized lifestyle choice and health risk.
We all know that smoking is bad for your health, but sitting is being proven to be just as detrimental.
Do you answer Yes to any of these?
- I sit (at work, school, commuting) for more than 2 hours without getting up
- Most of my day is spent sitting
- I spend over 25% of my day working on a computer, tablet device, phone etc.
- I have headaches, migraines, neck pain, shoulder blade pain, low back pain
- I tend to squint, lean forward or slouch when I sit
- I don’t have as much motion in my neck as I’d like
These are just some of the ways sitting too much can affect your body!
But there’s good news! By choosing to Stand Up, Move More and Sit Less, you can make huge changes to your health. Standing versus Sitting might not seem like a lot, but it can make major improvements to your overall health and well-being.
Some of the benefits include:
- Increased blood flow, circulation and oxygen to the brain
- Improves energy, mental focus and concentration
- Improved digestion, as sitting compresses the internal digestive organs
- Reduces joint pain and muscle soreness
- Boosts Metabolism and caloric burn
- Improves mental state and mood, as movement releases neurotransmitters
- Aids in reducing pain
- Supports bone health
- Improves posture and spinal health
We understand we can’t eliminate sitting completely. However, there are simple ways to incorporate more movement in your day and minimize the effects of sitting. Stay tuned for our next blog post for our tips for how to increase your activity!