There is no shortage of discussions surrounding poor nutrition, insufficient sleep, smoking, and stress. However, sitting rarely makes that list. This should change. One of the major health threats to people living in the contemporary society is not what they do; on the contrary, it concerns what they fail to do. They do not move enough. Modern life has quietly made it normal to spend hours sitting. We tend to remain seated at work, study, travel, watch TV, or use our smartphones. In other words, the issue is not sitting as such. The real problem is the amount of time we spend in this position.
The danger of sitting for long periods lies in its seeming innocuousness. There is nothing immediately painful about it; there is no clear warning that anything is amiss. Being physically active need not be equated with gym membership or marathon training. It includes walking, climbing stairs, household chores, and all the small movements that once filled the day. According to medical practitioners, adults are expected to get 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly, but many fail to achieve it. With the reduction of physical activity, muscles stop contracting, burning of calories decreases, the flow of blood is slowed, and bodily processing of sugar and fats becomes inefficient.
An inactive lifestyle affects the heart long before the consequences become visible. As has been shown in research, individuals who tend to sit down for prolonged periods have a 16% greater chance of dying prematurely and a 34% increased risk of developing heart disease. These numbers should concern everyone. Prolonged sitting is associated with elevated blood pressure, improper cholesterol, and constant body inflammation. Abdominal weight gain is also common. Collectively, such factors contribute to the formation of cardiovascular disease. It is important to note that many individuals experience no symptoms of these conditions despite being at risk.
There is another misconception regarding sitting that the ill-effects will affect only those individuals who are obese or overweight. But it does not matter whether you have an athletic figure or not; prolonged sitting will still impact your metabolism in negative ways. The function of the muscles is to extract glucose from the blood. Therefore, when muscles remain inactive for a long time, there is a possibility that the level of sugar in the blood will stay high. Over time, insulin resistance can develop, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. It is very concerning that up to 61% of deaths in India happen due to such diseases. Physical inactivity now sits alongside tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and obesity as a major health threat. A person can look healthy on the outside while metabolic damage quietly develops within.
{{/usCountry}}There is another misconception regarding sitting that the ill-effects will affect only those individuals who are obese or overweight. But it does not matter whether you have an athletic figure or not; prolonged sitting will still impact your metabolism in negative ways. The function of the muscles is to extract glucose from the blood. Therefore, when muscles remain inactive for a long time, there is a possibility that the level of sugar in the blood will stay high. Over time, insulin resistance can develop, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. It is very concerning that up to 61% of deaths in India happen due to such diseases. Physical inactivity now sits alongside tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and obesity as a major health threat. A person can look healthy on the outside while metabolic damage quietly develops within.
{{/usCountry}}The discussion about sitting generally centres on its physiological effects, yet its psychological impacts are just as important. Being active is hardwired into our DNA. Exercise affects the mood and stress level in ways scientists are still learning about. People who have been sitting for a long time may feel mentally exhausted, unfocused, and lethargic. There is research connecting sedentary behaviour to depression. It is clear that if one sits all day, one probably does not spend much time outside or meeting other people. This might not sound like a big problem, but inactivity can contribute to low mood, and low mood can make movement feel even harder. The cycle feeds itself.
This article is authored by Vamsi Karatam, founder & CEO, DeepFacts Private Limited (proRITHM).