SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE: BEING UNHEALTHY

 

It may be pleasant to curl up on your couch with your favorite TV series or video games at the end of the day. However, how much did all that downtime cost you?

A sedentary lifestyle is one in which a person does not engage in regular physical exercise, sometimes known as the "sitting illness." A typical working-age sedentary individual can have a job that entails sitting down and using a computer all day. It takes more time to sit or stay motionless when travelling to and from work in a vehicle, bus, or train.

Even though sedentary employees may participate in irregular or minimal activity on the weekends and evenings, most sedentary people spend their spare time sitting or lying down, doing one of the following things:

·        Either food or drink (socially or alone)

·        Watching television, sports, or movie

·        Reading, taking a nap, and participating in activities that are not sporty (knitting, doing puzzles)

Although because of our sedentary lifestyle, more and more young people and kids are becoming physically inactive. People across the world—in developed nations like U.S and in developing ones—are not getting enough exercise because of the surge in popularity of the Internet, smart phones, and video games. Women who quit working out while pregnant have a similar risk.

This lack of physical exercise is extremely bad for health, increasing the risk of both acute and chronic disorders.

THE HEALTH RISKS OF A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE

Diseases and Risks of Excessive Sitting:

·        Obesity: An inactive lifestyle can result in excessive weight gain, especially around the middle. Several health conditions have been linked to obesity, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, depression, and back and joint discomfort.

·        Clots and Strokes: Pulmonary embolism (lung clots) can be dangerous in persons who are chronically sedentary, especially if you are elderly, immobile, have just had surgery, or are pregnant. Women are more vulnerable to leg clots caused by prolonged sitting. Inactivity might increase your risk of stroke by 50 to 75 percent.

·        Back and neck pain, as well as continuous stress disorders: Lumbar and cervical discomfort, as well as posture disorders caused by sitting and staring at computer screens, are quite frequent. Back discomfort and repeated stress are, in fact, the leading causes of disability and absence from work. Similarly, injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by spending too many continuous hours sitting and working at a computer.

HOW NOT TO BE SEDENTARY

If you have a sedentary job or watch a lot of TV, taking quick standing breaks every hour to stretch or get some fresh air will significantly reduce your health risks. Consider this:

·        In one study, men who were physically active reduced their stroke risk by 66%.

·        By exercising regularly, older people may be able to reduce their dementia risk by up to 50%.

Short bouts of almost any physical exercise throughout the day can go a long way toward enhancing your health and lowering your risk of sickness and disease.

Here are a few simple ways to include healthy activity into your day:

• Performing 10 minutes of physical activity per hour.
• Standing rather than sitting
•   Move around in front of the television.