Unmasking the Shocking Facts: The Hidden Truth of a Sedentary Life

Unmasking the Shocking Facts: The Hidden Truth of a Sedentary Life

Unmasking the Shocking Facts: The Hidden Truth of a Sedentary Life

The sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic made us all stay at home. Most people had to switch to working from an office to a home environment. You see, on average we already spend more than half of our day sitting down, and an office worker can be stationary up to 15 hours a day. Working from home meant getting rid of commuting times and spending even more time stuck to our chairs. This phenomenon, often ignored, is called the “Sitting Disease.”

The “Sitting Disease” is the name we give to people who are inactive for the most part of their day. Just sitting seems harmless, right? But, it can drastically affect our health. It’s not the act of sitting that’s bad, but rather what happens when we don’t move enough. You’d be surprised how less movement can affect your body, from your head down to your toes.

“Sitting is riskier than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more dangerous than parachuting. We’re literally sitting ourselves to death,” warns Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic.

But we all know, human bodies are meant to move, not stay idle. As technology took over many physical tasks since the mid-20th century, people started moving less. And then, the COVID-19 pandemic happened, forcing us further into a sedentary lifestyle due to lockdowns and home-based work.

So, let’s delve into some numbers about our sitting habits, and hopefully, this might motivate you to get moving!

1. In general, about 11% of Americans sit for eight hours a day or even more, doing little to no physical activity in their spare time. Furthermore, 40% say they do not engage in moderate or intensive physical activity weekly. With more jobs being desk-based, it’s high time we break our stationary routines.

2. According to a U.N. report, women tend to be physically inactive more than men in almost all countries, highlighting the need to make physical exercise part of their regular routine.

3. Lack of movement can lead to chronic diseases and increase your risk of death. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity accounts for 6% of deaths worldwide and raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes by 20-30%.

4. Studies have shown that a sedentary lifestyle is linked to heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and other health issues. For instance, sitting all day can result in the buildup of a harmful protein called troponin released by damaged heart muscle cells. Additionally, sitting for long hours can double your chances of developing diabetes.

5. Inactivity not only affects physical health but also mental health. Research has shown that adolescents aged 12 to 16 who sat more had 28% higher depression rates at 18. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia have also been linked to lack of regular exercise and prolonged sitting.

But don’t worry, it’s never too late to turn things around. You can start by reducing the time you spend sitting. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to be an athlete to stay healthy.

Try to:

– Do moderate physical exercises for at least 30 minutes per day.
– Stand up and move around every 30 minutes while working.
– Walk your dog more often.
– Do house chores like sweeping and mopping the floor.
– Start a hobby like hiking or biking that gets you moving.
– Try squats or other basic exercises during your work breaks.

In conclusion, with a more active lifestyle and minor changes, we can prevent health risks such as heart disease and diabetes. Stand up, sit less, and move more, and you’ll notice the benefits your body reaps. Small steps can go a long way in improving your health and wellbeing!

Tags: #SedentaryLifestyle, #Statistics