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Is Sitting the New Smoking?

Is Sitting the New Smoking?

This blog post may seem like an obvious topic to write about but there is growing evidence to emphasize how we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of standing up from a seated posture as often as possible.

The simple act of standing up 30 to 35 times over the course of your working day has been proven to be effective at countering the negative effects that are now known to be associated with being sedentary, specifically seated, for too long on a daily basis.

You may have read about “sitting being the new smoking” in the media this year. These articles are based on research showing that even if you exercise vigorously on a weekly basis (as advised), you are still more likely to suffer from chronic degenerative diseases (heart disease, diabetes etc) if you spend too much of the rest of your day sitting.

Sitting:

  • Switches off fat burning metabolism
  • Compresses lumbar spine discs and reduces circulation to muscles
  • Has been compared to being in a low gravity environment by a NASA scientist.  Being in Space is known to cause cellular deterioration: think astronauts losing bone density and muscle strength.  Obviously the effects from sitting are not as extreme but over the course of many years the deleterious effects on health are accumulative.

So it is the movement withdrawn from sitting that is key.  We are designed to move and move regularly on a daily basis, in fact it has been pivotal to our survival for the vast majority of our evolution. Modern life, especially our work environments preclude much movement. Standing desks and chairs that are better designed to allow a more natural seated posture are being used more.  But you simply cannot alter the fact that standing and walking when you can, even if just for a few seconds at a time, has a huge impact on your health.  The act of standing up may be taken for granted but it is a whole body movement that takes a lot of coordination and stimulates your metabolism.  This movement has many knock on effects that are beneficial to every aspect of your well being.  These range from having a stronger low back with more supple joints to actually being happier and more productive.

So if sitting is the new smoking the cure is far easier than having to give up cigarettes.  Simply standing up and sitting back down again and walking when you can is enough to prevent the accumulative damage that sitting can cause to your health long term.  Move as much as you can, prevention is always better than cure!