Modern lifestyles take their toll when it comes to a general health condition. More than 34 million Americans spend at least 8 hours of their day working, and more importantly – sitting. People spend too much time in their offices in a passive state.
According to research published in a magazine Annals of Internal Medicine, we spend most of our working hours without any physical activity.
On one hand, technology really helps people in everyday work. For example, when we use technology, computers, and smartphones to deal with more work in less time. On the other hand, too much sitting leads to a bad physical condition and often many problems such as a poor posture, back pain or serious diseases such as obesity, heart problems, and diabetes.
If you’ve recognized yourself in a previous description, read and think about the negative impacts on your health condition:
Issues With Our Back
The most unpleasant outcome of the bad body posture is connected with back problems – back pains, spine problems or even disk damage. Moving allows soft disks to expand but also to contract, which actually let blood and useful nutrients in. Sitting makes these disks uneven and loose, eventually causing collagen to load around places such as tendons and ligaments as well.
People who spend too much time at the computer have more chances to have problems with herniated disks.
Muscle Atrophy
Sitting is also bad for your spine. If you don’t use your ab muscles enough it may ultimately result in spine deformity. Also, sitting affects your hips and your back and may have a very bad influence on your body balance. The gluteus muscles(our butt) becomes soft with too much sitting, and they can atrophy which can take away our strength to do strenuous or long walks.
Disorders With Legs
Clearly, lack of moving influences your leg circulation and may cause numerous problems such as – vein problems, dangerous blood clots, swollen ankles, etc.
Finally, sitting weakens your bones, and also makes them less dense. By regular activity, especially swimming, running and walking, your bones become stronger and thicker. That’s why elderly people suffer from osteoporosis.
An interesting and morbid bit of research shows that people who watch TV more than one hour a day in a sedentary position, have about a 61% chance of premature death.
Neck, Shoulder, And Brain Complications
Moving keeps our brain in shape. This way more oxygen and blood flow to and through our brain. If we don’t move enough, we can’t think sharply because without moving, oxygen and blood flow slower to the brain.
Also, if we spend too many hours working at the computer, it’s bad for our neck and body posture. Poor body posture can damage shoulder and back muscles because of the overextension.
Organ Decline
Lack of moving and physical activity can lead to many serious cardiovascular diseases. As an outcome of a constant inactivity, our body overproduces insulin which gives your body a slow blood flow. This way, your body is not able to fight the cells responsible for causing cancer and other afflictions.
In addition, overproduction of insulin causes obesity as well as diabetes.
So how can we stop inactivity?
credit: DailyInfoGraphic.com
If you really have to sit too long for some reason, then do it properly. This means you have to avoid leaning over or being in a slouched position. Also, an exercise ball can help you to work out your ab muscles. At the same time, your body will be standing up straight. A backless seat may help too.
Experts say we should get up every 30 or so minutes in order to stretch and walk. This makes our blood flow around our body and helps our brain, as well as muscles, work optimally.
Finally, yoga is a great thing. It relaxes your mind and muscles and works as a general anti-stress exercise.
If you know someone who might like this, please click “Share!”