Sitting on a comfy couch and binge-watching your favorite series (or two) might seem like a great way to relax. But the lure of those soft cushions may be increasing your risk for heart disease and other life-shortening conditions.
It is an unfortunate sign of our times that most people don’t get nearly enough physical activity in their daily lives. It is a trend that has been accelerating since the 1960s, as our workforce began shifting from farms and factories to office buildings. We also tend to spend much of our leisure time watching television, playing video games or scrolling on our phones – activities that don’t tend to get us on our feet and moving around.
A sedentary lifestyle is defined as spending six to eight hours a day sitting. And while it is difficult to put an exact number on it, studies suggest the average U.S. adult sits more than six hours a day. Some research puts the number considerably higher, particularly for older adults, who may be sitting nearly 10 hours a day.
How Physical Inactivity Impacts Your Health
A sedentary lifestyle saps your energy. You aren’t using your body, so your body reacts by slowing down. It may sound strange, but you may actually feel fatigued, even though you aren’t doing anything to make you tired. This also leads to increased risk for a host of chronic diseases and potentially dangerous health conditions, including:
- Heart disease. Your heart is a muscle that needs exercise to be as efficient and healthy as possible.
- Obesity. With all that sitting around, your body is unlikely to burn all the calories you are eating and drinking. Excess pounds that can lead to obesity, which is a significant risk factor for a wide range of cardiovascular conditions and more than a dozen types of cancer.
- High blood pressure. Inactivity can alter your body at the cellular level, affecting the health of your blood vessels. This can lead to hypertension, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
- High cholesterol: When you are more active, your body is more efficient at reducing dangerous fatty cholesterol from your blood. Otherwise, this cholesterol can accumulate on the walls of your blood vessels, where it can restrict blood flow and lead to heart disease and stroke.
- Diabetes: Your metabolism slows and your body becomes less efficient at regulating sugar in your bloodstream. Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease.
- Depression: A lack of physical activity can also take a toll on your mental health, increasing your risk for depression and anxiety.
Simple Ways to Reverse the Effects of Sitting
There are many risk factors that you cannot control. You can’t change your genetics, family history, race or age. But there are risk factors you can do something about. Sitting too much is one of them.
You may not be able to change your office job. But you aren’t working all the time. Reducing your sedentary lifestyle risk is as simple as finding a way to move more. Start with at least 150 to 200 minutes of aerobic activities every week. Finding an activity that you enjoy – whether it’s biking, walking, running, swimming, dancing, etc. – is key to helping you stick with it. It also might help to find a partner, which adds a social element to your workout.
If you are already obese, exercise alone will not be enough. A better diet – one based on plants and whole foods – is key to dropping weight and keeping it off. Stay away from junk food, fast food and highly processed foods. Weight-loss medications may also be a part of your solution.
Take Control of Your Heart Health
Lack of physical activity, poor diet and obesity have become global health problems. We know, without a doubt, that these conditions significantly increase your risk for heart disease and other conditions that can shorten your life.
Only you have the power to motivate yourself to make a change that can help you live longer. Think of the time spent on that exercise bike, swimming pool or jogging path as an investment in yourself.
This content is not AI generated.
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