Is a Sedentary Lifestyle Taking Its Toll on You?

According to the World Health Organization, 60 to 85% of the population worldwide does not engage in enough activity. Leading a sedentary lifestyle, where one is not as physically active as they should be, heightens the risk of several cancers, obesity, bone problems but also affects the emotions. Whether your job requires long sitting hours, or you choose to spend your free time watching TV instead of working out or staying active, sedentary lifestyle can endanger your health extremely.

Higher risk of cancer

A study in Germany showed that sedentary behaviour is closely connected with increased risk of several types of cancer. Those that spent most of the day sitting were a 24 percent more likely to develop a colon cancer and 32 percent more likely to get endometrial cancer. What’s more, for the people who chose to spend their time in front of the TV set, the risk is doubled, since they would also indulge in sweet beverages and junk food. Not only does a bad nutrition adds to cancer disease, but to obesity as well, that can consequently with higher levels of body fat, spike the cancer risk.

Bad mood

Your chair is the one to blame if you’re feeling blue. According to research, people who sit for more than 6 hours a day are 90 per cent more likely to feel nervous, tired, hopeless, and restless, unlike those who spend less than 3 hours sitting down. Furthermore, sitting at work isn’t the only sedentary behaviour that may influence bad mood. Namely, playing video games and watching TV for example, increases the risk of anxiety. The lack of physical activity is definitely the mood killer, so try to cut down the sitting hours to a minimum and workout often, to improve your emotional state.

Impaired vision

Spending hours in front of the computer is the life many of us lead, given that the job description requires just that ‒ writing, programming, coding or running various errands via computer. This is the reason why many of us are faced with worse eyesight and need to wear glasses. If you’ve noticed you have trouble reading small print, you often squint or have mild headaches from time to time, you should take an eye test in Hurstville at the best optometrists. Once you have the proper glasses prescribed, you’ll manage to read much better and work more efficiently.

Back pain

The effects of long sitting could take their toll on your back. If you sit 4 hours without taking a break to stretch, increases pressure on the disks in the lower back, which can further lead to disk degeneration. The experts suggest that you should change your position every 15 minutes to preserve your back. With 25 minutes of aerobic exercise a day, you’ll reduce the risk of back pain. Therefore, consider running, or swimming and never deal with back problems again.

Insomnia

Lack of physical activity is directly linked to the quality of our sleep. Therefore, if you don’t work out for at least 150 minutes a week, you’ll spend most of the nights tossing and turning, unable to catch an ever-needed sleep. People who are always physically active are almost twice as likely to have a good night’s sleep unlike those who avoid breaking sweats. Furthermore, according to research, physically active people manage to sleep 8 hours in continuity, whereas those who lead sedentary lifestyle tend to wake up once or more times through the night.

Final Thoughts

Modern times bring an array of jobs that involve long hours of sitting, which can be hazardous to our health. However, you can always avoid being passive at home as well, and instead of spending your pastime in front of TV, go out and run a mile, to avoid health issues.