WHAT IS A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE WHICH CAUSES MAJOR HEALTH RISKS; WAYS TO FIX IT
Also known as sitting disease, a sedentary lifestyle refers to a lack of significant physical activity. According to experts, it is becoming a significant health issue and relates to a range of chronic health conditions, most of which are life-threatening.
The American Heart Association says sedentary jobs have increased 83 per cent over the last five decades and make up less than 20 per cent of the workforce across the world.
Some of the reasons why inactivity has increased are:
Emerging technologies
Related News |Increasing amount of time spent on the phone and social media
Hours spent sitting during commute time to work
Long work hours
The rise in-home delivery cultures
Related News |All of this inactivity takes a toll on your health, especially your heart.
Dangers of a sedentary lifestyle
Studies say health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle include:Obesity
Extended periods of inactivity lead to weight gain and subsequent obesity. According to experts, obesity strikes people across the age spectrum, and it is an ailment that opens up your body to a horde of other illnesses like heart attacks, strokes, and kidney issues.Diabetes
Studies say insulin resistance causes elevated fatty acids in the plasma, causing decreased glucose transport into the muscle cells and increased fat breakdown, leading to elevated hepatic glucose production.A sedentary lifestyle makes your body resistant to insulin and susceptible to diabetes. Diabetes is a lethal disease that drastically lowers your standard of living.
Heart disease
A sedentary lifestyle leads to high blood pressure that increases the force of blood through your arteries and damages your artery walls.Stroke
Another fallout of inactivity and high blood pressure is stroke, which causes blockage in the blood supply of the brain or bleeding in the region due to high blood pressure.Mental health issues
According to doctors, a sedentary lifestyle hurts your mental well-being, making a sedentary lifestyle particularly problematic.Studies say a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity cause a higher risk of developing a mental health disorder, which includes depression.
Ways to get over a sedentary lifestyle
Doctors say a more active lifestyle significantly reduces the chances of chronic health conditions, mental health disorders, and premature death. A few ways to do that, according to Medical News Today, are:- Standing, rather than sitting on public transport
- Walking more
- Taking short walks during lunch breaks
- Setting reminders to stand up every 30 minutes
- Investing in a standing desk
- Taking a walk or standing up during tea and coffee breaks
- Spending more time doing chores around the house
- Spending your free time being active
- Getting up and walking around during television commercials
- Taking the stairs