Your Chair Is Killing You (Perils of Prolonged Sitting)

 

Prolonged sitting (sitting beyond approximately 30 minutes)  is sometimes called  the New Smoking because it  increases the risk of chronic health issues in a comparable way, e.g., heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and also many cancers, e.g., colon cancer. 

Attachment to your chair saps your physical, mental (and moral) strength mainly in 5 ways -

1.  While sitting at your desk, unless you are reading your promotion letter or love letter, your heartbeats tend to be slower, breathing shallower, and blood circulation poorer. 

An efficient blood circulation is required to carry oxygen and nutrients to different parts of your body and removing waste products from them. 

Poor circulation may cause pooling of blood in your legs, ankle and feet, tingling in hands and feet. In extreme cases it may lead to varicose veins, DVT ( Deep Vein Thrombosis).

2.  'Use it or lose it' is the cardinal principle of  keeping your muscles and bones strong, Not exercising them for  a long period, e.g., during prolonged sitting, contributes to their gradual weakening resulting in tight hamstrings, gluteal amnesia, shoulder and neck pain, weak bones (osteoporosis).

3.  Prolonged sitting, combined with poor sitting posture, is a major cause of nagging lower back pain. Uprightness is undoubtedly an admirable virtue in life. However, in matters of sitting, even uprightness is not going to help you much if you sit too long!

4.  Prolonged sitting slows down your metabolism because sitting involves little activity. Over a period of time it leads to undesirable weight gain, especially fat gain around your abdomen. 

Abdominal obesity is the most seductive hostess to a number of diseases, e.g., heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver, etc.

5.  During prolonged sitting, low supply of oxygen to your brain affects its optimal functioning. Your power of concentration, memory and decision making capability might be impaired. Worse, it makes you more susceptible to anxiety and depression.

11 Simple tips to offset the adverse effects of prolonged sitting -

1.  Avoid prolonged sitting! Set a timer in your mobile phone and stand up from your chair every 30 minutes. Walk, stretch, limber up for 2-3 minutes before sitting back.

2.  Move, move, move! Move at the slightest opportunity. A moving saleswoman has a better chance to have a smaller waist and broader smile than her sedentary shop-owner.

3.  Your sofa is the charming cousin of hospital bed. Don't fall for it. Instead, be mobile while talking on your mobile phone. Exercise while watching TV. Re-organize your work place - place your glass of water, printer away from your desk, and so on.

4.  Don't waste your money on expensive 'ergonomic' chairs. There is hardly anything ergonomic about a chair; it's all about 'ego-nomics' ( higher the post higher the chair) and 'economics' ( profit of the furniture companies)! 

Buy a sturdy plastic chair with a back support. If you are still obsessed with ergonomics, place a small pillow or a rolled towel against your back.

5.  Buy a chair that allows to keep your feet on the ground. Sitting on a high chair that keeps your feet off the ground would give you swollen feet (and a swollen head).

6.  Sitting and snacking is not the only way to conduct a meeting. Important matters can be discussed while walking also. Sometimes walking may be more productive. Nietzsche said -  " All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking."

7.  If you love to do things in style, place a treadmill at your desk and perform your job while walking on it. Alternatively, you can replace your chair with a stability ball. Sitting on the ball would keep your legs, gluteal muscles and brain awake.

8.  Train to fight. Strengthen your legs, gluteal muscles, back, core so that they are prepared to endure the trauma of prolonged sitting, in case it is inevitable.

9.  Even while prolonged sitting - which cannot be avoided, e.g., during long journeys or boring meetings -  you can do these two exercises very easily (and hardly being noticed by anyone!) - (a). Seated calf raises and, (b). Squeezing your gluteal muscles for 5 seconds and then releasing them. Do as many repetitions as possible with intervals. These exercises will increase your blood circulation.

10.  Take a cue from your dog. He hardly sits at a place for more than a few minutes (unless he has acquired the habit of not moving from his place for hours from you!).

11.  Stand up from your chair to greet each visitor entering into your room. This practice will make your quadriceps strong, nerves decompressed (and visitors perplexed).

Medical disclaimer - The blog content is provided for general educational purpose only. It does not substitute professional medical advice. Reader is advised to consult his doctor before starting any fitness program to avoid any health risks.

Shyam Fitness Fundamentals 

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