So what are you doing right this minute? Of course, you are reading this article, and we are happy about that. However, are you lying down or sitting? Are you standing? Or perhaps you are taking a stroll?
Well, you’re most likely sitting down somewhere reading this article. You might want to think about this, as evidence is now available that indicates sitting is a potential killer on par with smoking. Let’s explain what this means and why sitting/being sedentary may impact your health in a negative way.
What Does Sedentary Mean?
According to the Sedentary Behaviour Research Network (SBRN), if you are sitting, lying, or reclining, and expending little or no energy, you are considered sedentary. Basically if you sit or lay down for long periods during the day, each and every day, you have a sedentary lifestyle. This can cause health problems, as discussed below.
Health Impacts of a Sedentary Lifestyle
According to Science Daily, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) reported that people are more likely to develop heart disease when they are too sedentary and being sedentary can cause other lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes. Many reports are saying that a sedentary life may kill as many people as smoking.
It is a bit alarming to note that in it’s study of 874 older adults, NTNU researchers, as part of its Generation 100 study which began in 2012, found that:
- Even in the least sedentary of their study participants, approximately one third still spent between 12 and 13 hours in sedentary positions.
- They also found that the most physically inactive of the elders assessed were sedentary for as many as 15 hours a day.
Is sitting the new smoking
Dr. James Levine, director of the Mayo Clinic and Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative, invented one solution, that of the treadmill desk! The desk combines a desk and a treadmill – how simple does that sound? Levine had studied the negative effects that a sedentary lifestyle has on health and concluded that nothing is more treacherous than sitting.
Levine is credited with coining the now much repeated slogan, “sitting is the new smoking.” Have you heard that saying before?
Other key facts about sitting for prolonged periods of time
- Depression may be a result of being sedentary with hours and hours of sitting associated with higher sickness and mortality rates.
- Muscles, which are pliable, may stiffen up when locked in the sitting position for hours.
- People eventually are not as proficient at standing, jumping, or running after their bodies get used to sitting for ten hours a day or even less.
- Insulin and blood sugar are affected by sitting for prolonged periods of time. This means obesity occurs not just in sedentary people but all people who sit too long are likely to fall prey to type 2 diabetes. This is according to an article published in Diabetologia which looked at 800,000 patients over 18 studies.
How may chiropractic help?
Chiropractic commonly helps with cases of chronic back pain and other bodily aches and pains. These are often long-term and persistent conditions that cause distress and impact quality of life.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle puts you at risk of developing back pain while reducing your overall functionality and biomechanics.
Give chiropractic a go so that you can be one of the few people who can say:
“I had back pain once but it’s fixed now!”
It seems that health is something many people only pay attention to when they are in pain – let’s change that! Taking good care of your health, staying fit and active and moving around lots are all actions you need to be practicing on a daily basis. If you keep your body functioning properly, good health should follow.
If you are in pain and would like to move towards a permanent solution, contact our Chiropractic clinic now to see if corrective care is needed. Please give us a call at 970-300-2166 or schedule a consultation HERE.
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Dr. Jeremy Overholt, your Fort Collins chiropractor, is your go-to expert for comprehensive chiropractic care. With years of experience and a dedication to your well-being, he specializes in treating a vast array of health issues to help you live a healthier, more comfortable life.
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