The Dangers of Chronic Sitting

Jul 10, 2013

Written by: Lauren Stewart, Personal Trainer, O2 Fitness Chatham

Have You Been Sitting Down For Too Long?

I’ll start you off with the tag line, since it’s already ironic that you’re sitting as you read this post.

GET UP NOW AND GO MOVE YOUR BODY. 

Even if all you do is throw twenty punches into the air or do ten jumping jacks or go walk to the door and come right back.

GET OFF YOUR BEHIND AND GO!

Okay, so on to the details…. One of my current blog favorites, Mind Body Green, recently uploaded a short and to-the-point article that describes what happens to my body when I sit for long periods of time. Grab the link to the original blog post by clicking here.

We are all guilty of it.

I know for a fact that this article resonates with many of our beloved O2 Fitness Clubs members. Does your desk job have you sitting all day? Has retirement plopped you in front of a news, sports, or home decorating television show for hours at a time? Are mental or physical health problems making you feel immobilized?

Yeah, it happens. We are all guilty, at some point, in some way. And our bodies pay for it later.  Chronic sitting – that is, sitting for long periods of time daily, and as it builds up day after day – affects our bodies from head to toe.

The Effects:

I Could Have a Stroke

...if my chronic sitting causes me to develop a blood clot that travels to my brain.

Fluid Back-Up Develops in My Lungs

...if my sedentary lifestyle has caused my heart to fail or me to develop obstructive sleep apnea.

I Could Develop Cardiovascular Disease

...if I lead a sedentary lifestyle (along with having a genetic predisposition or maintaining a nutrient-poor diet, too).

Fluid Could Collect in My Legs

...whenever I sit for a while, and this fluid travels to my neck at night, contributing to obstructive sleep apnea. If I walk during the day, this fluid can get pumped out of my legs and prevent this.

My Risk of Becoming Obese or Developing Colon Cancer

...can be influenced by sitting too much, as this turns off enzymes in the blood vessels of fat-burning muscles.

High Blood Pressure

...can be prevented by staying active and mobilizing the arms as well as the legs.

Yeah, none of that sounds too great to me. And knowing my family history, I know I’m at a higher risk of many of these conditions already. It is likely that you are, as well.

GREAT NEWS!

You have every tool you need with you right now to prevent these things from affecting your body, because all you really need is YOU.

If you take a few minutes each hour of the day to get on your feet and pump that blood through that life-giving, vital circuit called your body, you’re one step (or many steps!) closer to being happier, healthier, and living longer.



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