Sitting for long hours at your work desk without taking short breaks in between can have a serious impact on one’s health.
According to Nmami Agarwal, a nutritionist, sitting for too long and not being physically active can deteriorate one’s health. The side effects include heart issues like arteries getting blocked, which can increase the risk of heart diseases; they can also affect your respiratory system by reducing lung capacity.
Agarwal noted that people with jobs that necessitate them to sit in one place for many hours are likely to have very many health problems in the long run. This could lead to muscle imbalances and weakness. One could develop weak glutes and possibly even flattened glutes.
Dr. Phelex Ssesazi, a physiotherapist and disability advocate at Capital Center Medical Clinic, says that sitting for long hours is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.
“Research shows that people who sit for long are likely to get problems such as cardiac disease and cancer, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, back pain, and swollen legs, which may also lead to permanent failure to walk,” he said.
Dr. Ssesazi added that sitting for long hours also tends to slow down the body, which strains it, causing tension and muscle imbalances. It also enlarges your stomach and causes obesity due to excess body fat around the waist and unhealthy cholesterol levels, leading to metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors that increase the chance of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
There is no right sitting posture as long as you are badly seated in addition to sitting for long hours. Bending your body while using a phone or computer is very dangerous.
Even though you do so many exercises, as long as you still sit for long hours, it does not change anything. You would rather do guided exercises.
It is therefore advisable to do the following in order to avoid the aftereffects of sitting for long hours:
After every 30 minutes of sitting, one is strongly advised to stand up, stretch for a while, or do something (a walk or run) before sitting down again.
Sitting straight at an angle where you don’t need to bend your head, with your legs at rest and not strained. On the other hand, you can sit with a supported back (add a cushion to support your back) and your body at a straight angle.
Instead of sitting in a conference room for a meeting, you can choose to walk with colleagues and have the meeting during the walk.
Try using a standing desk, a high table, or a counter.
