How does being at your desk all day affect you? The answer should surprise you - and worry you.
The effects are numerous and are more dangerous the more time one sits at one's desk. But let's go down that list:
1 - Heart disease: After sitting for very long, circulation becomes sluggish, and the blood flow, thus impaired, could facilitate the deposits of fats on arterial walls. Sedentary lifestyles are also associated with hypertension and high cholesterol.
2 - Pancreas: The pancreas secretes insulin, a vital chemical for proper sugar metabolism. If the muscles are not moved, nor exercised, the cells in those muscle respond less well to insulin, which then can begin a process that leads to diabetes mellitus.
3 - Colon Cancer: The intestine relies on movement for proper peristalsis, but also, the added insulin in the instestine may in itself have teratogenic effects.
4 - Muscle loss and degeneration: when one does not use muscles either through movement or exercise, muscle loss ensues. Such a loss of muscle is also associated with poor posture and later arthritis. Bad back and Hyperlordosis, or an excessive curvature of the spine can also result from too much sitting.
5 - Hip damage or limitation of range of motion: By always sitting, the extender and flexor muscles in the legs shorten, making the hips 'tighter' and less stable. This can lead in loss of range of motion, but is also a cause of falls, since the decreased hip elasticity and flexibility can limit response to falls and balance.
6 - Poor Circulation: sitting for very long periods slows circulation in the legs, which can cause among other things, fluid retention, and varicose veins. That in the long run can cause deep vein thrombosis and blood clots.
7 - Soft bones : just like muscles, bones too rely on movement for retaining its strength. In people who exercise or walk vigorously, the bones are stronger and denser as cells are replaced under the stimulus of movement, which with its impact sends a signal to the bone to keep rebuilding bone tissue. Recently, osteoporosis is being attributed more to lack of activity and exercise than to diet or age.
8 - Foggy brain: Just like in other parts of the body, the lack of activity can cause poor circulation to starve the brain of both oxygen and sugar. Poor circulation also reduces the flow of important mood enhancing chemicals produced in the brain from reaching target cells. Brain function too, and brain activities are affected by lack of activity.
9 - Disk damage: Long periods of sitting at the desk have the undesired effect of putting too much strain on disks. The muscle that links the hip bone to the spine 'pulls' when constantly in the sitting position. That means that the spinal arch will be moved forward, widening the gaps between certain disks and setting the premise for ischial tuberosity, or sitting bones damage, and disk damage.
It is very important therefore, to do exercises in between long period of sitting, and to stretch repeatedly during the day. Also important is to balance long sitting periods with period of activity such as brisk walking or cycling.
Source : WAshPo/ 1.22.14
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