Get Off Your Butt! Long Sits Erodes Health

Are you sitting down as you read this article? Research suggests that sitting for long periods of time can lead to several health issues and even a shorter life even for active and healthy individuals.

The latest research -- published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine -- finds that the risk of poor health "is more pronounced at lower levels of physical activity than at higher levels."

People who engage in regular physical activity but still spend much of the day in sedentary activity are 30% less likely to die of any cause in a given period than those who get little to no exercise. 

What about people who sit all day but have a vigorous workout? They were 16% more likely to die of any cause in a given time than those who did not sit for long.

Dr. Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. from the Mayo Clinic, says you use much less energy sitting than when you stand or move. 

Research has linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns. They include obesity and a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels — that make up metabolic syndrome.

Dr. Laskowski

He says that too much sitting also increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The research shows that dying from cardiovascular disease rises by about 18% when you spend long hours sitting. Other health problems resulting from long periods of sitting include a 13 to 16% higher risk of breast, colon, colorectal, endometrial, and endothelial ovarian cancers.

Sitting Leads to Back Problems and More

The UCLA Spine Center says that sitting for prolonged periods of time can be a significant cause of back pain, cause increased stress on the back, neck, arms, and legs, and can add tremendous pressure to the back muscles and spinal discs.

Many of these health issues can lead to early death and health issues leading to a higher risk of long-term health care. The impact of all this inactivity as we get older will lead to significant aging and health-related problems and the need for help with daily living activities. Your overall quality of life will suffer in your retirement years because of your inactivity today.

This inactivity will have consequences on your family, who may become your future caregiver or your finances as you pay for professional long-term care services. 

Dr. David Alter, scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute and a senior author of the paper, offered tips on limiting sitting and its impact. 

He recommends:

• While working at a desk, be sure to get up for one to three minutes every half-hour or so and move around.
• While watching TV, stand or exercise during the advertisements.
• Monitor how much you sit, and try to reduce it by realistic increments every week. You should aim for two to three fewer sedentary hours in a 12-hour day. 

So many people today are seated glued to electronic devices, working at their desks, or at home watching TV. There are ways to still do those things and stay active and healthy. Some wearable monitors show you your activity and how many steps you are taking and even notify you when you should stand up.

Some Activity is Better Than None

Most experts suggest getting up from your sitting position every 30 minutes. Walking around, stretching, do anything other than sitting will be beneficial. Many executives, according to surveys, have gotten into the habit of standing as they are speaking on the phone. For example, some office workers have a workstation where their desks can rise, allowing them to stand during a Zoom meeting or conference call. 

If you are at home watching your favorite TV show or a football or baseball game, for example, stand during commercials, time-outs, etc. Once in the habit, it will become natural and lead to better overall health. Just find unique ways to get up and move around no matter what you are doing or how long you are doing it.

"Sitting is the new smoking," is a phrase coined by Mayo Clinic's Dr. James Levine. Unlike smoking, sitting is not an addictive drug, and you can start being more active no matter your current level of health and mobility. 

Know that getting frequent exercise is good for you regardless of what you do for the rest of the day: It will not only help reduce your inactive time, it should lower your risk of illness and improve your survival prospects if you have no alternative to logging long hours in a chair.

It appears you should get up and move around. Don't stay in a sitting position for long periods of time. Once in the habit, it will become natural and lead to better overall health.

No matter what we do over time, we will have declining health, our bodies will deteriorate, and we need help with normal living activities we take for granted today. We may not be able to avoid the consequences of aging and even long-term health care, but we can get more quality years by taking proactive action now.