Our children do it at school, many of us do it at work, most of us do it while commuting, and too many of us also do it recreationally. What is that magic “it?” If you guessed sitting then you hit the nail on the head.
A 2008 study by Vanderbilt University revealed that on average, most people sit 7.7 hours per day.1 Unfortunately, all of this time sitting comes at a price. Below are 10 side effects prolonged sitting has on your health and well-being.
The long and short of it is that there can be consequences when we don’t live a healthy lifestyle that includes activity. Research even shows that people who vigorously exercise either before or after excessive sitting cannot undo many of the negative health factors.7 So where does that leave us? Some experts say you should start standing up at work for at least two hours a day, and work your way toward four. If excessive sitting is leaving you sore, you can also schedule an appointment for a free assessment at your nearest Athletico location.
Share some of your favorite ways to minimize sitting in the comments below and stay tuned for our follow up article addressing just that.
The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.
1. Matthews, C. E., K. Y. Chen, P. S. Freedson, M. S. Buchowski, B. M. Beech, R. R. Pate, and R. P. Troiano. “Amount of Time Spent in Sedentary Behaviors in the United States, 2003-2004.”American Journal of Epidemiology 7 (2008): 875-81. Web.
2. Corliss, Julie. “Too Much Sitting Linked to Heart Disease, Diabetes, Premature Death.”Harvard Health Blog. N.p., 22 Jan. 2015. Web. 16 June 2017.
3. Mikus, Catherine R., Douglas J. Oberlin, Jessica L. Libla, Angelina M. Taylor, Frank W. Booth, and John P. Thyfault. “Lowering Physical Activity Impairs Glycemic Control in Healthy Volunteers.”Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 2 (2012): 225-31. Web.
4. Andrews, Linda Wasmer. “What Sitting Does to Your Psyche.”Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers, 20 Mar. 2014. Web. 16 June 2017.
5. Mayor, S. “Prolonged Sitting Increases Risk of Serious Illness and Death Regardless of Exercise, Study Finds.”Bmj Jan19 7 (2015): n. pag. Web.
6. Wilmot, E. G., C. L. Edwardson, F. A. Achana, M. J. Davies, T. Gorely, L. J. Gray, K. Khunti, T. Yates, and S. J. H. Biddle. “Sedentary Time in Adults and the Association with Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease and Death: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.”Diabetologia11 (2012): 2895-905. Web.
7. Hamblin, James. “The Futility of the Workout-Sit Cycle.”The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 16 Aug. 2016. Web. 16 June 2017.
8. Schulte, Brigid. “Health Experts Have Figured out How Much Time You Should Sit Each Day.”The Washington Post. WP Company, 02 June 2015. Web. 16 June 2017.