Having a sedentary lifestyle can be dangerous. If you spend more than half your waking hours sitting down, you should find ways to change this. According to Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventive cardiologist and founder of the SRSHeart Center for Women’s Health and Prevention, there are several ways to get more movement in your day. She suggests parking farther away from your destination at the grocery store and walking to meetings instead of driving.
Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity
This can lead to a number of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and joint pain. It can also damage the walls of your blood vessels. All of these conditions can lead to serious illnesses. In addition to obesity, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, and increased blood sugar levels.
A recent study showed that people in America spend nearly half of their waking time on sedentary activities. People living in Europe spend 40% of their leisure time watching television. Koreans have also been reported to spend long periods of time seated. According to the Korea Health Statistics of 2018, 8.9% of Korean adults spent more than four hours seated each day. This figure increases to over 12 hours a day for people who spent more than eight hours sitting down.
The effects of a sedentary lifestyle have been documented for many years
The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most days of the week. Researchers also suggest that a person should strive to walk at least 10,000 steps per day. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity and fat storage.
Sedentary lifestyles are not only harmful to our health, but they also lead to increased mortality. Studies indicate that people living a sedentary lifestyle double their risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, colon cancer, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis. Furthermore, sedentary lifestyles have been linked to depression and anxiety.
A sedentary lifestyle also has a negative effect on our sleeping patterns. We need to get tired before bed to sleep soundly. But a sedentary lifestyle makes our body lazy and inactive, which leads to a lower quality of sleep. Furthermore, it enhances our inflammatory response to stress, which can contribute to our negative moods.
Long periods of sitting may lead to back and neck pain. Chronic lower back pain affects our ability to work and can affect our quality of life. Sedentary lifestyles can also lead to the development of arthritis. Sedentary lifestyles are a major cause of workplace absence and disability.
If you work at home, stand up instead of sitting. Standing can strengthen muscles and burn calories. You can also use household items, such as a chair or a book, as exercise equipment. Remember to warm up and stretch your legs before doing any exercise.