Justin G. Bautista
Writer
November 07, 2012
Health Hazard: Sitting
Sitting too long is apparently killing you.
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Sure, we exercise regularly. We limit the indulgence and eat the right foods. Those are good healthy habits, but it’s not enough. According to UK researchers, sitting too long is risking you diabetes, heart disease and even death. That is regardless of your exercise.

 

This study also asserts that Americans spend 60-70% of their time sitting. Before you deny this, evaluate yourself. Do you sit when you eat? Do you sit when you use your computer? Do you sit when you watch your shows? Yeah, I think we do a lot of sitting.

 

Is this implying that we should stand when we do these activities? Yes, and it’s not a bad thing. I wrote this post standing up, and ideas come smoother when I pace around.

 

All we do now is contrary to the men who lived in a cave. They walk on foot. They stand and collect or kill for food. They don’t sit around and expect to receive food as instantaneous as ten minutes. It’s true that we live longer because of our medical innovations, but I believe their bodies are healthier. I don’t think our bodies evolved that fast to accommodate long hours of sitting. It is unnatural for us.

 

Pan (2012) called sitting as the “worst positions for the body to maintain”.  You are familiar with the feeling of strain on your lower back after a prolonged sit. That is because sitting puts immense pressure on your back, unlike when standing up, the weight is evened out. Many people sit in the wrong posture as well. Flexors tighten, hamstrings shorten, nerves pinch, blood pressure flow disrupts result from sitting.

 

Either you cut your prolonged sitting or take intervals from sitting. How hard would this change be for you?

 

  • http://rodsprange.wordpress.com Just Rod

    Very interesting post. I was an interior designer and in the early 70s I used an office system called Action Office – by Herman Miller. One of the ergonomic features was you could have both sitting and standing work surfaces. They knew it was important to stand and work as well as sit. I put some of the mixed height work-surfaces in executive offices. They were really appreciated. The system also allowed for a foot rest bar – as it was understood that when standing and working at a high level surface it was better for the body to be able to have one foot resting higher than the other.

  • http://mimickingourselves.wordpress.com mmkng

    This is sooo true!
    I had read something the like some years ago and since then I simply stand up once in a while and walk trough the office :)
    It’s not hard, but people might be a little quizzed at first. Don’t worry, they will eventually get used to it. Some might even start to do it themselves.

  • http://jrwritesthings.wordpress.com jrwritesthings

    Here is some valuable food for thought for those of you “deck-jockeys” (DJs) out there. It seems there is merit to the cliche “Get off your ass!”
    Enjoy!
    /jr

    Reblogged this on jrwritesthings.

  • http://commuterrant.wordpress.com CommuterRant

    As someone who is struggling with back/posture problems, all I can say is, no shit! :-)

    Seriously though, I’ve been working in IT for 16 years on properly unsuitable chairs, the job I have now is the only one where I’ve had a lumbar support. Even then I had to steal this chair and put my name on it so that no-one steals it back!

    I have a keybreak program that flashes up every 40 minutes telling me to take a break. In reality, this never happens because establishing a rhythm in my line of work is very important so that i can get the job done. Interruptions frustrate me as much as my back related migraines.

    I think I need a new job :-)

  • http://unwalled.wordpress.com Kim

    Thanks for sharing this Justin…..I knew that long periods of sitting was not good for you but did not realize it could be this detrimental……..I am not a “sitter” but I will add a few more “walk around” breaks when I am working on my computer.

  • http://deepandwonderfulthoughts.wordpress.com optimisticgladness

    Very true! They make kneel sit chairs to help with this. Good post!

  • http://charmshealthbeauty.wordpress.com charm

    I wanted to share this great article on the hazards of sitting too long. So I you have a job or lifestyle that has you sitting most of the day, then this article is for you. Enjoy :)

    Reblogged this on Charm's Health & Beauty.

  • http://relaxandfloatdownstream.wordpress.com Joyce

    This reminds me, I had planned to hand deliver something every day rather than drop it in the campus mail (I work at a university). I need to get back on track with that goal.

    I also occasionally cleanse my system by going a week without any television. I highly recommend it. At the end of a week my house is cleaner, I’m more well-rested, and I’ve spent more time bonding with my children! We may not be able to control the sitting we do at work, but we can adjust how we spend our time at home.

  • http://nerdyprincess21.wordpress.com Sashi

    It’s gonna be hard for me, since I’m in college, but I can always adapt to standing up, cause I have read this before. Time to stand up and exercise more often.

  • http://anitamiller.wordpress.com Anita C. Miller

    Just something else to worry about! I think genetics is a huge factor. My parents never exercised and were great “sitters”…both in their 90′s. Mom’s mother also a great ‘sitter’ lived to 98! Diet, I think, is more important.

  • http://leekirs1.com leekirs1

    I believe you have touched on something vital! We all need to get off our butts! But what do the 8-5 office types do??

  • http://yourrealw8.wordpress.com yourrealw8

    Very good points. I’m glad to hear that someone else finds themselves to be more creative when pacing around. As I am in the middle of projects on the computer I too get up every 15 to 30 mintes to just pace and think and this helps me to clarify my thoughts. And I’ve been doing this for years! Glad to know I’m not alone. Thanks.

    • http://leekirs1.com leekirs1

      Good idea!

  • http://mygulitypleasures.wordpress.com viveka

    So what about … jobs that there is no chairs anywhere for hours and hours …. how dangerous is that for us ?????

  • dreamer9177

    And I thought that the damage caused by meetings was the decisions made by pointy-haired bosses

  • http://mystery756.wordpress.com the secret keeper

    I write most of the time but try to get up as often as possible but sometimes I become totally absorbed in what I am working on I forget. My body feels when I don’t move around enough. Strange thing though is that even though I sit a great deal I am losing weight at extreme levels. It is being looked into. A great subject to bring to peoples attention. J.K.

  • http://neelkanth.wordpress.com neelkanth

    A NICE ADVICE WORTH FOLLOWING. MY THANKS FOR SUCH A MEANINGFUL POST.

  • http://luciustheninja.wordpress.com luciustheninja

    It would be a pretty hard change, considering that I’m in college and use the computer a lot. This change would perhaps be more feasible if schools had already established some way to lessen sitting in the classroom. I might get strange looks if I just stand the whole time!

  • http://livingsimplyfree.wordpress.com livingsimplyfree

    This is so true. I have a disability and have to rely on a wheel chair most of the day because I fall so easily. I can feel the difference when I try to stand for more than a few minutes, my back starts to really hurt. I also worry about brittle bones from not walking enough. There are plenty of problems associated with sitting too long at one time and over the course of our lives. My back and possibly brittle bones in the future are only a couple. Your lymphatic system needs us too move to work properly as well, so do our lungs and heart for strength and to fight off colds and infections.

  • http://urbannight.wordpress.com urbannight

    Per HR, we are supposed to get up and walk about every 30 minutes. In practice, that does not happen and the people who run the department thinks that means you don’t have enough to do. Even if you are in a position where you can get up more often, that doesn’t help me as I’m on the phones all day (inbound) and can’t be wandering around in case the phone rings.

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