Is Sitting The New Smoking? Here’s How To Undo The Harm Of Sitting Down For Hours

Most people are unaware of the disadvantages of sitting, especially when many live sedentary, couch/desk-bound lives. However, you should never dismiss the harmful health impacts of sitting since they may endanger your life.

You'll have to sit for hours on end, whether it's for marathon gaming sessions or a work-from-home arrangement that keeps you up late at night. Fortunately, there are a variety of activities you can perform to reverse the effects of sitting, and they're all simple to accomplish.

Barbara Schiavulli, an Italian freelance
BAGHDAD, Iraq: Barbara Schiavulli, an Italian freelance reporter working for an Italian radio, is seen in her Hotel room in Baghdad 05 February 2005. Schiavulli said she had been on the telephone with Giuliana Sgrena, 56, a veteran Middle East correspondent for the leftist Il Manifesto daily, when she was abducted in Baghdad 04 February. "She called me as the kidnappers were taking her away. I heard the shots and shouted 'Giuliana, Giuliana', but she didn't reply," she told Italian news agency Ansa. RAMZI HAIDAR/AFP via Getty Images
(Photo: RAMZI HAIDAR/AFP via Getty Images)
BAGHDAD, Iraq: Barbara Schiavulli, an Italian freelance reporter working for an Italian radio, is seen in her Hotel room in Baghdad 05 February 2005. Schiavulli said she had been on the telephone with Giuliana Sgrena, 56, a veteran Middle East correspondent for the leftist Il Manifesto daily, when she was abducted in Baghdad 04 February. "She called me as the kidnappers were taking her away. I heard the shots and shouted 'Giuliana, Giuliana', but she didn't reply," she told Italian news agency Ansa.

Sitting Down For Too Long Could Be Dangerous

According to FitAndWell, sitting for long periods is unhealthy that it has earned the moniker "sitting is the new smoking."

You'll need to exercise moderate-to-vigorous cardio activity to reverse seated health hazards, which are primarily cardiovascular (heart-related). However, if you're confined at your desk all day (mainly if you work from home or in an office), it may be challenging to get in a morning jog.

Mayo Clinic said your chance of dying is about the same as if you were morbidly obese or a heavy smoker if you sit for an extended period practically every day with almost no breaks.

Sitting for long hours can increase blood pressure, add extra body fat around the midriff, cause blood sugar to spike, and high cholesterol. According to specific research, those who lead sedentary lives have a greater chance of dying from cancer.

Take back your life and check if you've been sitting too much while playing video games or working at a desk with no breaks. Much of what you do these days does not need you standing up, and this is where the difficulty lies.

Exercises You Can Try After Sitting For Too Long

Art Of Manliness has a list of workouts that you may attempt right now, all of which don't require much (or any) equipment. Here are a few examples:

Couch stretch: The sofa stretch is another simple workout that can be done by just walking to your couch. Place a knee you'd want to extend on top of the sofa, then place your foot straight on the sofa's back. For around four minutes, stay in this posture. If you don't have a couch, you can do this on a wall.

Grok squat: Take a break every hour or so by completing this squat. Squat down until your buttocks contact (or very near to) your ankles, keeping your heels firmly on the ground for 30 to 60 seconds. Squats are sometimes called Asian, Slav, or Primal squats.

Table pigeon: Take one leg and lean it sideways on top of a low table (or even your own bed). Make sure that your knee is bent at 90 degrees. For 60 to 90 seconds, stay in this posture. Rep with the opposite leg.

Other workouts are available, but those mentioned above are the simplest and need the least equipment. You'll be fine if you take time to do any or all of these exercises above in between your long gaming or working periods.

Check out more news and information on Medicine and Health in Science Times.

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