How Too Much Sitting Affects Your Health

Historically, the human body was made to withstand constant motion. In our ancestral past, the days were filled with walking, running, hunting, gathering, farming and the like. Today, most of our time is taken up with us firmly planted in front of a computer screen with little motion or variety in our activities.

Today, the majority of the population worldwide leans toward jobs and focus that are sedentary lifestyles. According to the World Health Organization statistics, sedentary lifestyles are a new global epidemic that kill some 5.3 million people every year.  There is plenty of information out there that indicates how lifestyles with little or no physical activity are the leading cause of obesity, back pain and one of the main risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthrosis as well as colon and breast cancer. As well, psychological distress is more likely when there is little movement or exercise in one’s life.

Overall, too much sitting can lead to an overall degeneration of body tissues.  “Sitting for too long causes your neuromuscular tissue (NMT), between your muscles and tendons, to decay. NMT is the second most ‘expensive’ tissue in the body to maintain after brain tissue. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it,” (Dr. Bomi Joseph)

So, what can one do if one is strapped to a desk for over eight hours per day as part of one’s job?

• Try to stand up at least once per hour. Perhaps stretch, walk around for just one minute before returning to your seat.
• Exercise frequently in short bursts take a short, brisk walk, do squats or jumping jacks or do short exercise sets that get you moving.
• Use the technology available to you to remind you to stand because we all know how time can float away when you are focused on the screen in front of you! Multiple techie devices offer reminder programs to keep you off your derriere for eight solid hours per day!
• Let massage in the form of deep tissue work help encourage your back, neck and limbs to restore your range of motion and keep you from ‘seizing up.’

Subtle changes in your lifestyle can help make a huge difference in your overall health and wellbeing and can be a simple as getting off the bus a few stops earlier. How can you implement more mobility in your Life?

Information in this article taken from: https://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/why-too-much-sitting-bad-your-health