We SIT Too Dang Much!

Y'all know it's true. 

We Sit Too Much...

In one of my previous blogs, I introduced the concept of NEAT: non-exercise activity thermogenesis. 

The overall gist was that ANY physical activity outside of eating or sports-like exercise counts as NEAT. So, if you haven't read that blog yet, go back and check it out first so you'll better understand this one.

Sitting and sitting, for hours and hours tho...

There's a hilarious TickTok trending about sitting being better than standing, walking, even dancing. I won't lie, it's a good laugh, but reflects a state that most of us live in. 

The state of stasis.

Exercise (even NEAT) Is Great For Our Health

I can't stress how important it is to get up and move some after prolonged bouts of sitting.

We spend a good portion of our short lives on our butts, y'all. 

And with the rise in folks WFH (working from home), increased video game use, scrolling social media, and watching on-demand streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, Americans have pretty much nurtured an intimate relationship with sitting.  

According to Statista2024, U.S. adults spends on average around 3 hours each day watching TV/movies, not including time spent eating, zoning out from existential dread, or taking bathroom breaks. 

Over time, one can easily fall into a sedentary lifestyle. 

In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) posits sedentary lifestyles as being one of the leading causes of death and disability in the world. 👀😬

That's because when a person sits for long periods of time without getting up, the major weight-bearing muscles of legs are not contracting. With no muscle contractions, these muscles cannot efficiently utilize the sugars and fats circulating in the blood.

Gradually, and without surprise this leads to folks becoming overweight/obese (because what's Netflixing and Chilling without the snacky-snacks?). Reduced blood flow from inactivity eventually creates an unhealthy environment for the body's blood vessels, increasing the risk of PAD (peripheral artery disease) and blood clots. 

Y'all, don't let it get to that point, ok? 👎

More Cons of Prolonged Sitting:

• Bad posture and Chronic Pain. Poor sitting posture contributes to those unending neck aches and back pains we moan and groan about. 
• Bad posture places the head in a forward position, causing tightness in the upper-back, shoulders, and neck muscles. Prolonged sitting puts extra pressure on the lumbar spine (lower back).💥

• Increased Risk of Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes. Sitting has a negative effect on our metabolism. When we sit our muscles aren't using the glucose that's floating in our bloodstream, so it's converted into free fatty acid (FFA) and often deposited in the adipose tissue (fat) of the abdominal region for storage. 
• The more those FFAs accumulate, the greater the risk for developing insulin resistance, which can lead to diabetes.👀

• Reduced Ability to Burn Fat. Sitting and not using your muscles leads to a reduced ability to burn fat as fuel. Add that to the additional FFAs from unused blood sugars and it's a sure recipe for weight gain.💩💩

• Heart and Lung Issues. Sitting 8 hours or more reduces aerobic efficiency, increasing the risk of high blood pressure and coronary artery disease. Reduced oxygen flow to the lungs could also potentially causes headaches.😟

• Greater Risk of Premature Death. Sitting all day with minimal movement or physical activity will increase one's likelihood of an early death compared to those who are more active.💀

OK... ok...

I understand that prolonged sitting is unavoidable for some. 

Nevertheless, evidence shows that a few minutes of mildly energetic, creative, and time-efficient daily movements may combat those sustained periods of sitting. 

Those movements can be aerobic, stretching, strengthening and/or mobilizing exercises. 

It doesn't matter. Do what works for you!

**For every 30-40 minutes of sitting and after each snack and meal, move around for 3 to 5 minutes. 

✨You may grow to appreciate those bits of movement over time! 

Hey, maybe it'll evolve into a family bonding activity or a new workplace trend!

So, Get Your Butt Up! 

Try simple, passive stretches like standing and raising your arms overhead. Add rolling your neck and shoulders then protract and retract the shoulder blades. That can give you some relief and ease tension. 

If time allows, take a brief walk break. 

If you need to, set a timer to remind yourself it's "move" time!

When to Move:

• After reading, scrolling social media, or after bouts of gaming
• While changing TV shows or talking on the phone
• When emailing colleagues at work
• While loading or emptying the dishwasher
• As you're washing your face and while brushing your teeth
• When hanging with your friends
• When doing all those errands

What to Do:

• Get up and stretch/walk
• March in place, sidestep, bounce them shoulders, now add a shimmy! Alright now!!😄
• Walk to colleague's workspace to deliver news instead of emailing
• Practice balancing on 1 foot
• Heel raises, heel-to-butt kicks
• 10 partial squats then some alternating knee lifts.
• Take the stairs as often as possible

Keith Diaz, Ph.D. and associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University, along with his research team found that participants’ blood sugar and blood pressure levels were reduced after only 5 minutes of walking for every 30 minutes of sitting. 

They also observed a 58% reduction in blood sugar spikes after eating. Naturally, Dr. Diaz concluded that:

"Regular short walks every half hour not only prevents changes in blood pressure and restores blood flow to the legs, but also reduces feelings of fatigue and improves mood". 

So... what do y'all think?

Studies show that 1 in 4 adults don't get enough physical activity as is. However, by incorporating more NEAT movements and getting our 🍑 up and moving more throughout the day will promote an optimal, less sedentary way of life. It quite possibly could be the gateway to adding more physical activity and exercise in your daily life.

That's a Win-Win!

EM

REFERENCES:

U.S. daily TV and digital viewing time 2024 | Statista

How Sitting Too Much Affects Your Health (acefitness.org)

1-minute bursts of activity during daily tasks could promote longevity (medicalnewstoday.com)

5-minute walks every 30 minutes may offset effects of too much sitting (medicalnewstoday.com)