Sitting for extended periods of time has a serious impact on your overall health, and even has the potential to shorten life spans.
Being seated places undue pressure on the spine in comparison to standing. Recent reports and studies demonstrate that people who sit for extended periods of time or have a sedentary lifestyle (lifestyle with irregular physical activity or minimal activity) have a higher chance of back pain. This is due to a lack of movement, as movement assists with a healthy blood flow to the spine. This provides important nutrients to the spine that help with quicker recovery and prevention of injury.
What are some of the risks you can experience from sedentary lifestyle, or extended periods of sitting?
- Can lead to you being overweight and obese
- Unhealthy blood sugar and type-2 diabetes
- Greater risk of heart disease
- Increased risk of depression with longer sitting times
- Poor spinal health and neck pain
- There’s a 40% increased risk of death in next 3 years when you sit for over 11 hours a day
What can you do to minimise risks?
- 10 minutes of gentle movement can prevent blood flow damage, blood flow damage can occur if a person is sitting for three or more hours
- Regular interruptions from sitting such as standing up have potential in reducing the risks of diabetes and heart disease
Is your spine aching from extended sitting periods? Book in with one of our chiropractors today online or over the phone. We can discuss actions to minimise harm to your spine and guide you on a path to assist you to with your health.
