With plenty of us cooped up in officers or comfy WFH setups, we’re spending way too much time on our butts. And while it’s not exactly breaking news that your sedentary hours could be wrecking your overall health, research has lifted the lid on a plethora of unexpected ways your sit-downs could be bringing you down.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 1.8 billion adults across the world are at risk of disease because they’re not notching the requisite amount of physical activity. This is based on the org’s recs that the average adult should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity training every week.
So what is this significant chunk of the population doing instead of exercise? Plenty of sitting. And as you’re about to find out, that time spent on your butt could be wreaking havoc with your health.
1. You Can Feel More Anxious
When you’re reclining on your couch or staring at YouTube videos from the comfort of your office chair, you might not think these relaxing activities could be hurting your mood. However, a recent study found that long-term sedentary behaviour can result in an uptick of depressive symptoms. And the longer you spend sitting every day, the more likely you are to experience the blues.
Quick fix: Like all things in life—including your sedentary sessions—there’s an app for that. StandApp is a simple tool that’ll shoot you notifications to remind you step away from your desk for a few minutes. It also serves up a series of exercises you can perform right there (no tools required) to undo some of the damage of your day job.
READ MORE: Here’s Why “Stress Bragging” Can Lead to Burnout and Make You Less Likeable
2. Your Memory Could Suffer
A new study has found that a sedentary lifestyle can put you at greater risk of developing all-cause dementia. Fortunately, regular doses of physical activity can help reduce inflammation and insulin resistance, which could help reduce your risk of the disease.
Quick fix: Got an hour to spare over lunch? A walk outside in nature could be exactly what the doctor ordered. Research has found that regular time in nature can help improve cognitive function and boost your mood. Even just 15 minutes in a natural setting could be enough to bag these organic perks.
3. You Might Have a Higher Cancer Risk
Research has found that sedentary behaviour can, with some degree of accuracy, predict your risk of developing and dying from cancer. According to researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, those who have the greatest levels of inactivity are far more likely to die from the disease.
Quick fix: There’s evidence that racking up enough physical activity in your younger years can significantly reduce your risk of cancer down the line. Running or fast walking, in particular, are an effective way of mitigating your chances of developing at least nine different type of cancers in the later stages of your life.
READ MORE: Why Just Five Minutes of Exercise Could Cut Your Cancer Risk
4. You Could Struggle to Sleep
Spending days on your butt with minimal breaks for physical activity could hurt your chances of getting good shuteye. A systematic review discovered that sedentary behaviour was associated with an increased risk of insomnia and sleep disturbances.
Quick fix: Getting sunlight won’t just get you out of your office chair, but could also be one of the best things you do for your sleep. You want to snag between 5 to 30 minutes of time basking in the rays, says sleep recovery specialist Barry Bridges. “You’ll want to expose yourself to around 1 000 lux in the morning and 10 000 lux at midday,” he adds. Lux is a measurement of light intensity and any amount below 1 000 won’t have an effect. You can use an app like LUX Light Meter (available on iOS and Android) to measure this important metric.
5. You Might Be Hurting Your Sex Life
An active lifestyle can lead to you slapping on extra flab, and that added weight could offset your ability to perform in the bedroom. Typically, men with larger bellies, or a waistline stretching to 42 inches or beyond, are twice as likely to have erectile dysfunction as those with waist sizes in the healthy range (around 32 inches).
Quick fix: While a standing desk won’t help you burn more calories (studies show you’ll only torch an extra 24 calories per hour), using this stand-up alternative to your office chair has been shown to lower your risk of obesity, diabetes, cancer, premature death and cardiovascular disease. Want to level up? Deskstand is a local company rolling out plenty of stand-out options.
6. You Could Be Spiking Your Blood Sugar
Even if you’re otherwise healthy, spending too long in your seat could still ramp up your blood sugar levels. According to one study, reducing your chair time by taking regular breaks can immediately improve your blood-sugar regulation.
Quick fix: Clocking out for the day? Launch into an evening workout to combat the damage of your day job. Research found that overweight adults who exercised in the evenings were able to significantly rein in their blood sugar levels.
READ MORE: 6 Great Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Sugar
7. You Could Be Wrecking Your Back
Fact: physical activity is linked to low back pain. In other words, the amount of time you spend sitting could be the reason behind your chronic soreness. (Yes, it’s probably not your mattress.) A sedentary lifestyle can also lead to muscular imbalances which will exacerbate any existing pain.
Quick fix: Stress has been shown to lead to and exacerbate backpain. Fortunately, you can tackle both stress and soreness with a quick stretch that’ll free you from your chair and ward off future aches. The Lumbar Windshield is a simple flex: start in the bridge position, lying flat on the ground with your knees shoulder-width apart and your feet wider than that. Shift your hips to drop your knees side-to-side. Feel pain while you swivel? Don’t try to push further than that range. Do this eight times each side. Repeat whenever you’ve got a free moment. Need more moves to nix back pain? We’ve got you covered right HERE.
8. You Might Increase Your Chances of Suffering a Heart Attack
Long periods of inactivity can lead to fat building up in your arteries, according to the British Heart Foundation. As a result, when those lines to your heart get clogged and damage, you could be at a higher risk of having a heart attack. If that happens to the arteries carrying blood to your brain, you could also suffer a stroke.
Quick fix: The British Heart Foundation says that just by getting more active, you can cut your risk of heart and circulatory disease by up to 35%. And notching a few more sweat sessions won’t just pay off for your heart; those workouts will also help control your blood pressure, raise your levels of good cholesterol and ramp up the number of calories you’re burning.
