Recent research has found that sitting in a chair all day at work increases the risk of early death by 16 percent.
Did you know that sitting in an office chair all day can bring you closer to death? Yes, it’s a bit shocking but research shows that living the life of a desk jockey can increase your risk of early death by 16%.
Research published in the JAMA Network Open, which was conducted in Taiwan with 480,688 participants over 13 years, revealed that people who spent most of their time sitting in a chair had a lower heart rate. The risk of dying from cardiovascular disease is 34% higher.
Most experts suggest that office workers should take a short walk from time to time to keep all parts of the body moving and blood circulation normal.
When we sit in our seats for long periods of time without any physical activity, it can lead to serious health problems like obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and a dangerous increase in cholesterol. It can lead to diseases like heart disease and cancer.
Research has shown that our bodies are designed to move, so when we sit in one place for too long, these body parts begin to malfunction.
Research has also shown that if you sit for more than 8 hours a day without any physical activity, you are as likely to die as someone who is obese or very overweight. Smoke more cigarettes.
Many people think that going to the gym after work will cancel out the negative effects of sitting, but remember that even if you exercise regularly, sitting for long periods can harm your health. .
Effects on men and women
Women are more at risk of developing such physical complications than men.
Sitting for such long hours at work can have different effects on men and women, some of them are as follows:
Physical change
Women tend to accumulate fat more quickly than men, women tend to accumulate fat in the lower body, while men tend to accumulate fat around the abdomen, which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease. .
Change in hormones
Hormonal differences between men and women can affect how their bodies react to prolonged sitting. For example, after menopause, women’s hormones change, which can affect metabolism and increase the risk of heart disease.
Bone problems
Osteoporosis, a disease related to the bones, too much sitting can weaken the bones, especially in women after menopause they are more likely to have weak bones or fractures and There is also a risk of developing heart diseases.
Psychological effects
If you sit in one position for long periods of time without any activity, it can make you restless and eventually lead to problems like anxiety and depression.
Sitting for long periods of time can lead to feelings of restlessness, discomfort and even physical pain, which can lead to irritability and loss of concentration.
Additionally, lack of movement and physical activity can affect mood leading to feelings of anxiety or depression, which can also disrupt sleep and increase stress levels.
How to counter these effects?
Judging by the research, it’s wise to try to build in physical activity during work to break up long periods of sitting.
Keep a timer and after every 30 minutes stand for 3 minutes and take a short walk and stretch the body.
An easy way is to set an alarm on your phone so that you remember to get up from your desk for a few minutes every hour.
Try to do some work standing up. During your meal break, try going for a walk, just 15 or 30 minutes of walking can help improve your health.
Sitting less and moving more is important for better health. Doing so not only reduces the risk of premature death but also helps prevent metabolic syndrome, obesity and other related diseases.