Sitting all day is unnatural, but more and more people are doing it – with technology and transport doing everything for us, endless entertainment, and so forth
“Sitting increases risk of death up to 40%”
“Sitting 6+ hours per day makes you up to 40% likelier to die within 15 years than someone who sits less than 3. Even if you exercise.”
- Twice the rate of cardiovascular disease
- Electrical activity in leg muscles shuts off
- 1 calorie burned per minute only
- Fat break down enzymes drop 90%
- Good cholesterol drops 20%
- Insulin effectiveness drops 24% after 24 hours
- Metabolism slows 25-50%
- Blood sugar rises
- Mood decreases, pain grows, productivity goes down
What to do about it?
- Get a desk you can stand at, if possible
- Stretch, flex muscles though the day if possible
- Stand up when taking a train or bus, even if it’s empty
- When on any phone call, be standing up
- While watching TV/ YouTube, be standing up/ walking around/ cleaning
- Walk to co-workers to talk with them rather than sending emails or calling their extension
- Use stairs instead of lifts, and actually walk up/ down escalators
- The art of Manliness has an article on 7 exercises that undo the damage of sitting
- Art of Manliness on posture