Introduction
- Are you someone who spends long hours (10-12) sitting in front of a computer screen and doing everyday work?
- Do you what are some of the pitfalls of leading a highly sedentary living or inactive lifestyle for a long period of time?
- Have you thought about taking out some time to invest in physical activity or basic exercises, which involve mobility?
In the past few years, there have been drastic changes in the way human beings lead their life. Most of them have centered around the way we work. While the rise of computers has aided productivity and efficiency, they have also contributed to a negative development.
Working long hours in the office or at home in front of a computer screen mean that we are compromising on the importance of physical movement. Over the long run, this leads to the development of a sedentary lifestyle.
Health experts and international organizations have sounded alarms as to how living a sedentary lifestyle can give rise to several medical issues. This is also a topic that has been covered extensively online, such as in this recent blog post by Miskawaan Health.
In this article, we discuss some of the major problems and dangers of leading a sedentary lifestyle by talking to leading health experts on the issue.
Table of Contents
Sedentary Lifestyle: What you should know?
In very simple terms, you are guilty of leading a sedentary lifestyle if your day-to-day routine does not involve enough physical activity.
According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC)-
You are leading a sedentary lifestyle if you are not investing one hundred and fifty minutes in normal to regular exercises or physical activities.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)-
More than seventy-five percent of the entire world’s population does not engage in any form of physical activity or exercise.
The rise in lifestyle diseases has been seen by experts as a direct fallout of leading such an inactive lifestyle. Issues like heart complications in young adults, the rise of diabetes in people aged between twenty-five to thirty-five, and migraines are all directly related to sedentary living.
Being active also improves the immunity system and allows the body to fight or ward off infections and diseases. It has also been found that being active improves gut health and has a positive impact on mental health.
List of 4 Major Dangers of Leading a Sedentary Lifestyle according to Experts
Let us now look at some major medical and health complications, which individuals are likely to face as a result of inactive living.
1. Poor Mental Health-
Mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and stress are on the rise, especially among young adults. Too much work, the pressure of earning sizable incomes, and constantly being piled under pressing deadlines are taking a toll on mental health.
Exercising regularly helps in releasing positive or happy hormones. Such hormones are essential in regulating brain activity, leading you to feel positive and optimistic about issues. It also allows you to manage and deal with pressure situations better.
2. Obesity Concerns and Subsequent Problems-
One of the immediate effects of sitting long hours in front of a screen and not investing in physical activity is weight gain. Over a period, you will find yourself becoming obese. This coupled with the rise of the junk food culture leads to obesity issues in individuals.
Obesity is a serious issue, as it will slow down your efficiency and productivity. Obesity also leads to tiring out of the human body within a short period of time. Over a longer period, obesity can aid in developing heart complications and breathing issues.
3. Heart Complications-
Many people tend to forget that the human heart is at the end of the day, simply a ‘muscle’. Like any other muscle, you need to ensure that it is working out. It can only work out and perform to its optimal level when you are engaging in physical activity.
If you are leading a sedentary life, the heart muscles turn weak, as they do not have to work out. Over a period, they fail to pump blood to different parts of your body. This can cause a stroke and other serious life-threatening complications.
4. Osteoporosis and Bone Damage-
If you are not engaging in physical activity, you are not making your bones, tendons, and ligaments work. Sitting on a chair the entire day means that your legs are not getting any attention. Over a period, this can cause a medical condition known as ‘Osteoporosis’.
You will feel a lot of pain when you walk for short distances or stand for an extended period of time. It can also cause bones to become brittle and weak, increasing the chances of fractures when you fall down by accident.
The Final Word
Doing something as small as ten thousand steps a day can have a positive impact on reversing the ill-effects of sedentary living. At the end of the day, you want to continue working for as long as possible. You also do not want to fall sick at the slightest of infections.
Both the above can only be possible if you are investing in some form of physical activity and exercise. The faster you address issues of inactive living, the faster will be the recovery process.
