Stand up while you read this!
Prolonged periods of sitting is bad for your health. Too much sitting has been implicated in the risk for a number of serious medical conditions and a reduced life span, along with muscle and joint issues. According to a recent article in The Washington Post:
… sedentary workers have more than twice the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, a 13 percent increased risk of cancer and 17 percent increased risk of dying.
This article also says that our metabolism slows down 90% after 30 minutes of sitting and after 2 hours, good cholesterol drops 20%. These number amazed and, to be honest, scared me.
Resist the chair.
Exercising for a half hour, or even an hour, does not compensate for sitting too much. What to do, then? Stand more and move more, for 2 hours daily – and work up to 4 hours daily. Here are ideas to get you started:
Meet friends for a walk instead of a meal
Stand up when you’re on the phone, having a snack or on the bus
Ask for (and use) a standing workstation for your computer
Fold clothes or do stretches while watching TV
Additional Resources
Mayo Clinic article on sitting risks
Washington Post article on study of sitting risks
Just Stand – a group raising awareness for healthy computing. The site includes quizzes to assess your sitting habits, facts/research, and products/tools