So many of us have to worry about the effects of sitting all day, at a desk, staring at our computers. This sedentary lifestyle takes a toll on so many parts of our lives. Posture suffers. Our waistlines start to expand. And our veins don’t work as well as they should. Basically, sitting all day is slowly killing us.
Side Effects of Sitting All Day
We know that sitting all day can lead to weight gain. But that's not the only problem with sitting all day long. When you sit for too long, you may face challenges such as:
Heart Trouble
Think sitting all day is no big deal? This study says differently. According to findings from Loughborough University and the University of Leicester, people whose jobs keep them sitting for too long are 90% more likely to die due to heart disease.
Shorter Life
The Cancer Prevention Study II showed that sitting more than six hours a day, vs. less than three hours per day, resulted in a higher risk of death. If you spend more time sitting, you are more likely to die from cardiac disease, cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and suicide.
Blood Clots
If you sit in one spot for more than four hours, you raise your risk for all forms of
blood clots, according to the
CDC (Centers for Disease Control). That risk goes even higher if you are over the age of 40, obese, or recently had surgery. Even taking estrogen-based contraceptives, or hormone-replacement therapy drugs can raise your risk further. Also, being pregnant or being in the three-month post-partum window, being a cancer patient or recent cancer survivor, having
varicose veins or a family history of blood clots will also worsen the risks of extended sitting.
And, more dangerously, sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of
deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When you don't move enough, your blood flow slows down. That's when clots can form, break off, and move to other parts of your body. And if one of those clots reaches your lungs, you could develop a life-threatening pulmonary embolism .
Varicose Veins
These
large, swollen veins can be a result of all-day sitting... or standing! Doing either activity for too long can cause blood to pool in your legs. And that collected blood puts more pressure on your veins, which can then stretch. When stretched, your vein walls weaken, and the valves that help your blood flow properly, can become damaged.
Gaining Weight
When you're sitting for too long, your muscles stop releasing molecules that help you process sugar and fat. As such, you may find it harder to lose weight, and you could even gain weight without changing anything about your diet.
Additional Diseases
Aside from all the other effects we've highlighted, prolonged sitting increases your risk for Type 2
diabetes as well as stress, anxiety, depression and reduced cognitive function.
Reversing Effects of Sitting All Day
Now, we know that sounds scary...and it’s true that all-day sitting can take a toll on your health. But, don’t fear: hope is here! First of all, simply sitting less can help lower blood pressure in adults with obesity and hypertension, according to a study in
JAMA Network Open.
Those results can happen simply by sitting less. But if you start moving more, too? According to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology, just 30 minutes of physical activity in a day can fight those awful side effects of sitting.
Researchers at Columbia University Irving Medical Center studied 7999 healthy people above the age of 45. Each participant had previously joined a study that monitored their activities for a minimum of 4 days a week.
Participants were followed for five years. Researchers collected data on the amount and intensity of their physical activity during that time. What they found was very exciting: any physical activity that lasted 30 minutes lowered your risk of a shortened life by a whopping 17 %! And, if you stepped up your activity game to at least a moderate intensity, that risk was cut by 35%.
Now, this study refers to moderate exercise levels. And, if you stick with moderate exercise, that 30 minutes a day is what you'll need. Because, according to the World Health Organization, you need 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise each week to avoid the side effects of sitting. (Although
this man from Wisconsin claims he can balance the effects of sitting all day with 10 pushups and a walk around the block. And his doctor says his labs actually agree with him!)
Don't have the patience for lots of low-intensity workouts? Here's some good news for all our HIIT lovers out there. If you engage in high-intensity exercise, you only need 75 to 100 minutes of exercise each week to fight the effects of all-day sitting! So get ready to sweat hard--as long as your doctor has cleared you for more intense exercise!
How Can Physical Activity Fight Sitting Side Effects?
Getting active boosts your cardiovascular health. It helps keep your weight in check, lowers your cholesterol, builds bone and muscle strength and even improves your mental well-being. And exercise doesn’t have to happen at the gym. Try walking or jogging outside. Hop in the pool and cool off while boosting your heart rate. Even skipping the elevator in favor of the stairs can help up your activity levels and drop your risk of
vein disease, diabetes, heart attacks and more.
Compression Socks and All-Day Sitting 
If you're sitting at home or at a desk all day,
compression socks can help prevent problems. You don't have to wear them all the time. But even keeping them on for a few hours while you sit could help.
Why is that the case? Compression socks can stop your legs and feet from feeling tired and achy. They can stop achy muscles, as well as swelling and pain. Plus they lower your risk for varicose veins and blood clots.
How can socks make such a difference? These socks put pressure on your leg, and that increases blood flow. Because the pressure relaxes your arteries while constricting your veins, so blood gets pushed back to your heart. This also means there's more oxygen in your leg muscles, which reduces swelling. And the amount of blood that pools in your feet.
Now wearing these socks doesn't mean you can avoid activity. But they can certainly help you avoid complications while you must be seated. Which can take the pressure off your veins when you're stuck on Zoom all day.
Need more help managing your vein health? That's what we're here for!
Schedule your vein health consultation today to prevent further damage from all-day sitting!
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