By: Anuradha
The world that we live in technologically very much advanced. You have the access to the knowledge around the world at your fingertips and all that you have to do is just to ‘click’. But, the advancement of technology is having its own benefits and defects. Unlike the previous centuries where humans had to exert their manual labor to fulfill their tasks, now everything is done by machines and because of this, humans have become more lethargic. We tend to do everything by using machines and most of us sit in front of a computer for more than 8 hours a day.
So, according to a report published in Annals of Internal Medicine, the average person spends more than half of his/her waking hours in an inactive state (sitting at a computer, watching TV, commuting to and from work, etc).
Thus, latest studies prove that sitting in the same position for a prolonged period of time can actually cause problems like chronic back pain, poor posture and even potentially deadly diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, and obesity.
So, if you are someone who is spending more than half of the day in a sitting position, you must pay attention to the facts given below, as your health can be threatened by your posture. Here are some of the negative impacts that you will get if you keep on sitting for hours:
Brain, neck, and shoulder issues.
When you move your body quite often, there is a constant flow of blood and oxygen through your brain and it helps you to maintain clarity and to keep your body sharp. So, when you sit for a long period of time, there would be no such flow of blood in your brain and that can hinder your ability to think clearly.
Moreover, when you keep on bending towards the computer screen, it affects the cervical vertebrae, which connects the spine to your head and you will get pains around your neck. The poor posture that you maintain by leaning over a keyboard for hours can also damage the back and shoulder muscles as they can be over-extended.
Back problems.
Most of the people suffer from back pain, inflexible spines, and disk damages and the actual reason for this is the maintenance of the incorrect posture for a prolonged time. When you move around, the soft disks between vertebrae in the spine expand and contract resulting in moving blood and nutrient. So, when you sit too long, the disks become uneven and compact and that may even cause collagen to build up around tendons and ligaments.
Muscle degeneration.
When you sit for too long, your ab muscles will not be used and when they go unused, it can cause swayback or the unnatural over-extensions of the spine’s natural arch. It will also decrease the flexibility in your hips and back.
The glute muscles can also become soft when it is not used for a long time and can hinder the ability to take strides and keep the body stable.
Deterioration of organs.
When you don’t move your organs for a long time, it can over-produce insulin and can result in heart diseases, cardiovascular disease, and colon cancer. Moreover, it can also cause weight gain which in turn may result in diabetes or obesity.
Leg disorders.
You might have experienced situations where your legs have been swollen when you sit for a long time and that is because when you sit for long, your blood starts to pool around your ankles. It can also result in bones getting weaker and less dense.
According to a study, people who watched TV over the span of 8.5 years had a 61% greater risk of dying a premature death compared to those who watched less than one hour per day.
So, this is how you should combat this condition.
Don’t panic if you are someone, who has to sit for a long time because of your work or any other reason. You only have to make sure that you sit up straight and avoid slouching or leaning over your keyboard. If you are not in the practice, then use an exercise ball and that will force your ab muscles to work and will help to keep your body straight naturally. You can also use a backless stool if you need something more stable.
Image source: DailyInfoGraphic.com
Also, make sure that you get up at regular intervals and take some break. Experts advise to get up every 30 minutes but you can select your time according to your schedule. Try to get up and walk around your room and it will regulate the blood flow in your systems.
Yoga can also be named as an efficient way to keep the muscles flexible and to relax your mind. you can also buy a standing work desk so that you will be forced to work in an upright position.