Did you know prolonged sitting can have a big impact on your health? Most people do not stop to think about things like this.
Some people have recently begun thinking that sitting for too long too frequently could cause some severe health issues. Most jobs in this day and age do not require much physical exertion. People spending on average 5-10 hours sitting a day could be damning to your cardiovascular function.
A study done in the past has found that prolonged sitting can actually counter effect time you spend at the gym. Say you exercise for 1 hour before heading to work then sit for 6 hours, you are no longer benefiting from that morning workout.The lack of muscle contractions decreases blood flow throughout our bodies when we sit for long periods of time.
Sitting for just one hour can impair blood flow to main arteries by up to fifty percent. If you were to take the time to walk for 5 minutes each hour you would be able to subdue the risks of heart disease associated with this issue. As soon as you stand up from sitting for a long period you are setting off ripples of activities that are connected to the cellular functioning of your muscles.
The only real way to reverse the damage being done is to get moving. Take regular breaks from your work and walk around for at least five minutes. Walking will get blood flowing properly throughout your body. You can improve some issues by changing where you are sitting. There are several different chairs designed to allow you to move enough in them to burn calories. Good seating options are always a plus. Walking will help you in more ways than you’d think. When it comes to restricted blood flow you should take preventative measures immediately.
Walking can offer you many benefits:
- Mood improvement
- Balance improvement
- Weight loss
- Strengthen bones and muscles
- Prevent and manage heart disease
- Prevent and manage high blood pressure
So if you are in school or work in a field where you’re stuck sitting for hours on end each day this is something you should consider doing something about. When it all boils down five minutes here is really not all that bad in the long run. I would choose a five-minute walk over heart disease any day.