Chances are you are reading this while sitting in your chair.....
For thousands of years, that’s exactly what humans did. In the mid-20th century, however, rapid technological advances (think: cars, TVs, computers, etc.) began chipping away at physical activity, and as technology did more of the heavy lifting, people became increasingly sedentary.
Consider how much you sit in a day: driving during your morning commute to an 8+hour-a-day desk job, and then unwinding on the couch in front of the television all evening. Weekends include sitting at your child's dance recital or wrestling tournament all day!! What’s more, do you depend on email, cell phone apps, direct-deposit paychecks, and online shopping to accomplish tasks that 10 or 20 years ago would have required you to get up and run errands?
If so, then you may have "sitting disease,” a catchy phrase for a sedentary lifestyle that might be putting your health at risk. (Source: WebMD)
While we often think of the dangers of inactivity in terms of worsening cardiovascular health, there are a myriad of negative effects. A study documented higher rates of type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cancer-related deaths in very sedentary people. An unrelated study has linked more sitting and less activity with an increased risk of developing dementia. (Source: Harvard Health)
That is one thing I like about my Garmin(Fitbits do the same thing). It will tell me to move. Love having that reminder!!
Sitting for long hours when you’re working in front of your computer is absolutely inevitable. But there are definitely ways to avoid sitting too much. Here are a few tips:
- Stand up and stretch whenever you can.
- Go get and drink some water and visit the rest room more often.
- Park your car farther from your office and take advantage of walking.
- Walk after eating your lunch.
throughout the day.
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