Sitting Disease: What Is It and How Can You Combat Its Harmful Effects?

As more of the population transitions to work-from-home jobs, they’re becoming more inactive. Think about it; gone are the flights of stairs, walking to/from meetings, getting up to see a manager or coworker, and walking back and forth to your car for lunch or arriving/leaving work for the day.

Little ways that had you moving and standing throughout your workday are no longer part of your routine. Those brief moments of movement add up, though, and without them, your body becomes stagnant and stiff. Too much time spent sitting in a car, at a desk, or on the couch is detrimental to your overall health.

It’s so harmful, in fact, that a health condition has emerged called “sitting disease.”

What Is Sitting Disease?

With more people working from home than ever before, this buzzword’s gotten a lot of recent attention. Also known as “chair disease,” the term “sitting disease” refers to the negative consequences of sitting for long periods of time — and it’s not just about obesity. 

Research shows that sitting for 6 hours or more per day negatively impacts your life expectancy and increases your risk of dying from all causes.

 

“Sitting is the new smoking” — Dr. Levine, Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

 

In addition to the prolonged periods of sitting at work, in school, and during their commutes, many people spend hours every evening sitting while watching TV, playing video games, or scrolling through social media. All of this sitting adds up, increasing the risk of chronic disease and developing serious physical and mental health conditions, such as:

• Cancer
• Osteoporosis
• Depression
• Back pain
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Blood clots (DVT)
• Heart disease (Cardiovascular disease)
• Muscle atrophy
• Stiff joints
• Poor posture
• Varicose veins
• Early mortality rate

 

Several of the health problems listed above can put you at risk of metabolic syndrome — an ugly condition that increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

See- there’s a reason your smartwatch and fitness trackers nudge you to get up and move every hour! 

With the advent of technology and more sedentary jobs, it’s estimated that most adults spend up to 13 hours per day sitting — at work, driving, watching TV, or using a computer at home. Even if you exercise regularly, it doesn’t counteract all the harmful effects of too much sitting. If you have a desk job, there are things you can do to reduce your sitting time during your workday.

Make Your Work Environment Active

To combat the health dangers of sitting disease, transform your work-from-home space into an active workstation. You’ll find it’s simple to set up your work area in a way that encourages movement, whether it’s walking, pedaling, stretching, or standing. 

No, this isn’t an exercise session or an effort to burn calories. You don’t have to change into workout clothes (although your WFH attire may already be yoga pants and a t-shirt. Hey-no judgment here!) 

Creating an active workstation is one of many small steps you can take for your wellness to increase the blood flow in your body and reduce the risks of your sedentary lifestyle. 

Even when working from home, you may not be able to come and go as you please due to deadlines, constant emails, required clocked-in-hours, virtual meetings, and schedules. You can still end up sitting all day, which is why setting up an active workstation is so important. 

Try adding one or more of the following items to your workspace to easily fit in some physical activity and help you combat the health risks of excessive sitting: 

Standing Desks 

They come in many varieties both in price range and style. Some can be pushed on rollers, some can fold up to save space when not in use, while others can be adjusted electronically, have USB ports, and slanted keyboard platforms. Many are also hybrids, meaning you can lower it to sitting levels, and raise it up for standing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Standing Desk Converters/Risers

No need to replace your existing desk; these desk converters/risers are placed on top of your desk to transform it into a standing one. If cost is an issue, these are more economical than investing in a new standing desk. They can be simple risers that you adjust manually, all the way to electric with wireless charging.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desk (Foot) Pedalers/Cycles

These are mini-cycles with two pedals that fit under your desk or table. They also have versions that do the cycling for you if you can’t move your legs yourself. They’re great for circulation and activate the lower core muscles to help alleviate back pain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whole Body Vibration Platforms (WBV)

These are platforms you stand on that shake and oscillate at different speeds, causing your muscles to contract and your circulation to increase. It’s recommended to only use them for 30 minutes or less per day, but you can split up sessions into five or 10-minute increments to break your sitting sessions up more often. These machines are not meant for everyone, especially if you’re pregnant, have blood clots, or have a pacemaker. Check with your doctor before using one. You don’t have to splurge on these-while they do come in a wide price range, you can find them for around $100 online. 

LifePro Vibration Plate Mini

 

LifePro Vibration Plate With Handles

 

Don’t Let Your Desk Job Harm Your Health

It’s crucial to break up long periods of inactivity. If you don’t have access to a standing desk or other office items that allow you to move while working, use apps that send reminders or even add prompts to your calendar to send you notifications throughout the day. Or try the Stand Up! app on your phone, which lets you monitor your time spent sitting and sends you notifications to stand up. 

The biggest takeaway from this article is that sitting for extended periods of time is terrible for your health.

If you think your regular exercise session of an hour on the treadmill keeps you safe, you’re wrong. Regardless of how active you are, if you still spend most of your day in a sedentary position, your health is still negatively impacted. That’s why it’s important to change your inactive behavior and add movement throughout the day so that you don’t have extended sessions of sitting. Even while working at a desk job, you can still keep your body moving, blood pumping, and breathing increased for optimal health benefits.

 

 

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