The ill-effects of sitting for Prolonged Hours

The majority of us gear ourselves towards a sedentary lifestyle. Our work requires us to sit for prolonged hours. However, too much sitting is not a healthy thing to do. Sitting for prolonged too long can result in various health hazards. Prolonged hours of sitting can result in chronic health issues and heart diseases. It will also affect your mental health. Being active will prove beneficial to you, and it is honestly not a challenging task. It does require discipline. However, inactivity can give rise to various symptoms. 

1. It hurts your heart

Sitting for prolonged periods is linked with heart diseases. Studies have found that individuals who sit for 23 hrs are at a higher risk of developing and dying from heart diseases than individuals who have a habit of sitting for 11 hours.

Various experts have also stated that sitting for long stretches makes an individual 167 percent more prone to heart attacks or strokes. If you notice any symptoms that you believe are connected with cardiovascular disease, notify your doctor immediately.

2. It can shorten your life

Yes, it is true. Too much sitting will result in you dying early. Moreover, if you skip exercises and sit for long hours, you will shorten your lifespan even more.

3. Varicose veins

The varicose vein is the condition in which your vein becomes swollen, bulged, and twisted. It is noticeable just under the skin. A smaller version of varicose veins is called spider veins. The blood gets accumulated in the legs and exerts extra pressure on the legs from sitting for long hours. This is not a very grave condition, but it can cause pain. Your doctor will help you in treatment and in soothing the symptoms.

In sporadic conditions, it can result in blood clots.

4. Cancer

Too much sitting can lead to colon, endometrial, or lung cancer. The longer you sit, the more you become prone to these conditions. Older women develop higher chances of breast cancer from sitting for long periods. Even if you are incredibly active, it will not change the fact that you are sitting for long periods. Hence, reduce your sitting time.

5. Risk of Dementia

Sitting for prolonged periods increases the chances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol level. All these conditions ultimately result in dementia. Try to exercise more and sit less to reduce the risks of these conditions and symptoms. 

6. Deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT in short, occurs due to blood clotting in the veins of the legs. The culprit for this condition is prolonged sitting. This needs to be treated carefully. 

It is a very problematic condition, and in severe cases, if the blood clot breaks free and exposes itself to other body parts, then it shuns the blood flow to those parts. This includes your lungs. Please take note that it can result in pulmonary embolism. It is a critical medical emergency, and it requires immediate attention.

7.Stiff neck and shoulders

Living a sedentary lifestyle and stooping through social media or work on your computer can cause stiff neck and shoulder. You will also experience pain in those areas.

8.High chances of Diabetes

Too much sitting will make you more prone to Diabetes. People tend to think that not burning enough calories is the reason behind Diabetes, but prolonged sitting is also responsible for this condition. How exactly sitting results in Diabetes is not clear. Still, doctors believe that too much sitting changes your body’s response to insulin (the hormone which helps in burning carbs and sugar to produce energy).

Studies have confirmed that if you lay in bed for five days straight, then you will enhance your body’s resistance to insulin. This will ultimately spike the blood sugar level way above the normal range. 

Researchers think that individuals who lead an inactive and sedentary lifestyle, including too much sitting, are at a 147 percent greater risk of facing a heart attack, stroke, and other symptoms.

9. You will gain weight

If you keep sitting for long and are inactive, you will burn fewer calories, ultimately making you obese or overweight. Indulging in physical activity helps you digest the fat and sugar from your food. Hence, it is crucial. A sedentary lifestyle means that you will not burn those fats and sugar. 

Make sure you spend 60-75 minutes every day doing some moderately intense physical activity. This will save you from the ill effects of being inactive. 

10.Hips and back

Too much sitting will badly affect your hips and back, and they will end up not supporting you. Your hip flexor muscle will decrease in length and will cause problems for your hip joints.

If you sit with a bad posture, it is incredibly harmful to your back. It could lead to poor spine health, including compression in the spinal disc, which is immensely painful.

Final thoughts

Desk-bound lifestyle results in six percent of the overall deaths worldwide. To prevent any such lethal conditions and symptoms, make sure to include some physical activity in your everyday lifestyle. It could consist of taking the stairs instead of the lift, taking a stroll during the work break, walking to the bus stop, and much more. The baby steps you take today will ultimately save your life.