Is Sitting The New Smoking?
Heard the new saying, "sitting is the new smoking"? There is significant evidence that sitting for a prolonged time negatively affects our health, and is a social epidemic comparable to smoking.
People sit an average of 7-15 hours during the day, whether at work, in the car, or at home watching TV. But regardless of age, sex, weight, health or even whether someone gets plenty of exercise, the very act of sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of obesity, chronic disease and even premature death. Sitting increases the risk of disability, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental health issues like depression, to the extent that experts are labeling this modern-day health epidemic the “sitting disease.” The longer you sit, the greater your risks become.
When you sit:
<ul>
<li>electrical activity of your leg muscles shut off</li>
<li>calorie burning drops every minute</li>
<li>enzymes that help to break down fats drop by 90%</li>
<li>good cholesterol drops by 20% within 2 hours of sitting</li>
<li>insulin effectiveness drops by 24% and risk of diabetes rises within 24 hours</li>
</ul>
Most people simply aren’t moving or even standing enough to counteract all the harmful effects of sitting for hours on end. It really is just like smoking. Smoking is bad for you even if you get lots of exercise. So is sitting too much. Ideally, you should not sit for longer than 20 minutes at a time.
Thus the impact of movement, even leisurely movement throughout the day, can be profound. If nothing else, just stand up every 20 minutes, stretch, then sit back down. Of course if you can take a quick walk, this is even better. You will improve your body’s physiological responses, lessen your chance of stroke and heart disease and improve your brain function.
Can’t get up to stretch or walk? Here is another great reason why the Unimed TENS Massager units are so invaluable. Have to drive long distances? Have a job where you are required to sit for extended periods? Taking a long flight? Simply attach the TENS electrodes to muscles on your back or legs, and the electrical impulses will allow your muscles to continue working, right there while you sit :)
People sit an average of 7-15 hours during the day, whether at work, in the car, or at home watching TV. But regardless of age, sex, weight, health or even whether someone gets plenty of exercise, the very act of sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of obesity, chronic disease and even premature death. Sitting increases the risk of disability, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and mental health issues like depression, to the extent that experts are labeling this modern-day health epidemic the “sitting disease.” The longer you sit, the greater your risks become.
When you sit:
<ul>
<li>electrical activity of your leg muscles shut off</li>
<li>calorie burning drops every minute</li>
<li>enzymes that help to break down fats drop by 90%</li>
<li>good cholesterol drops by 20% within 2 hours of sitting</li>
<li>insulin effectiveness drops by 24% and risk of diabetes rises within 24 hours</li>
</ul>
Most people simply aren’t moving or even standing enough to counteract all the harmful effects of sitting for hours on end. It really is just like smoking. Smoking is bad for you even if you get lots of exercise. So is sitting too much. Ideally, you should not sit for longer than 20 minutes at a time.
Thus the impact of movement, even leisurely movement throughout the day, can be profound. If nothing else, just stand up every 20 minutes, stretch, then sit back down. Of course if you can take a quick walk, this is even better. You will improve your body’s physiological responses, lessen your chance of stroke and heart disease and improve your brain function.
Can’t get up to stretch or walk? Here is another great reason why the Unimed TENS Massager units are so invaluable. Have to drive long distances? Have a job where you are required to sit for extended periods? Taking a long flight? Simply attach the TENS electrodes to muscles on your back or legs, and the electrical impulses will allow your muscles to continue working, right there while you sit :)
