Try to count, in a day how long do you sit? Starting from typing in front of the office laptop, driving to and from work, having lunch, to watching TV at home. Be careful, often sitting too long can be harmful to health, you know!
In addition to making muscles and joints weaker and stiffer due to less active movement, sitting too long can also slow down the body's metabolism. This will certainly cause a decrease in the body's performance in regulating blood pressure, maintaining blood sugar levels, and processing fat, thereby increasing the risk of various diseases.
A study revealed that people whose jobs are more sedentary are rated at 2 times the risk of having a heart attack than people who move a lot in their work.
Health Risks Due to Sitting Too Long
Sitting too long actually will not immediately cause harm. However, if your daily life is often spent sitting and not actively moving, various diseases can be stalking you.
The following are some of the health risks that may be experienced by sitting too much:
1. Muscle pain and muscle atrophy
Sitting too long can make the muscles of the back, shoulders, and hips work more so that they become stiff, sore, and painful. The pain will get worse and come faster if you often sit with incorrect posture.
On the other hand, the legs and buttocks that are so rarely moved can experience muscle atrophy, so that the muscles become weak. The risk, you will be prone to injury.
2. Backache
In addition to the muscles, sitting for too long can also put excessive pressure on the spine, especially at the waist. This can increase the risk of hernia nucleus pulposus which can cause chronic pain.
3. Distended stomach
Sitting for too long can cause reduced production of lipoprotein lipase, which functions to process body fat and sugar. So, sitting too long can cause fat in your body to accumulate. You are also more at risk of developing metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by weight gain and a distended stomach.
4. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Sitting too long can also cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or deep vein thrombosis, which is a blood clot in the deep veins, usually in the legs.
This condition can cause swelling and pain in the legs. If left untreated, DVT can have serious consequences, because the blood clot can break off, travel to the lungs, and then cause a pulmonary embolism.
5. Osteoporosis
Moving is not only useful for strengthening muscles, but also for strengthening bones. That is why elderly people who are not active are more at risk of developing osteoporosis. Now, If you are not active from a young age and sit or relax more, you are at risk of developing osteoporosis more quickly.
6. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
Sitting for too long can also reduce the sensitivity of the body's cells to insulin, so that the absorption of blood sugar into cells, the process of forming sugar into energy, is disrupted. This condition puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes and heart and blood vessel disease, including stroke.
7. Cancer
Although the reason is not yet certain, research has found a link between frequent sitting for too long and an increased risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as bladder cancer or colon cancer.
Come on! Always Move Active Every Day
For some people who find it difficult to reduce sitting time while working or doing activities, there are several ways you can do to avoid the various effects of sitting too long, namely:
- Set reminders every 30 minutes to stand up or take a short walk between work.
- Try to type while standing for a while.
- Use an ergonomic chair that supports posture when sitting
- Stand up and walk when making calls or discussing with coworkers.
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator, if only to go down or up 1-2 floors.
- Choose to stand in the bus or train while on the way to and from work.
- Change TV channels by approaching the TV instead of using remote control.
- Take up a hobby that allows you to be active, such as cycling, cooking, or dancing.
- Clean the house in your spare time because this activity is also healthy.
In children, you should apply the rules when watching TV or playing video games maximum 2 hours per day. This is useful so that they do not spend a lot of time sitting too long.
By knowing the dangers of sitting too long, from now on try to be more active and move more, yes! Although it may be difficult at first, do the above tips every day until you get used to doing it for life.
However, it is not enough to stop there. To keep your body healthy and fit, also apply a healthy lifestyle, such as eating a balanced nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep.
If you still have questions related to your health and the habit of sitting too long, don't hesitate to ask your doctor, OK? The doctor will provide an explanation according to your condition.
