Naturally, less energy is used when sitting than when standing or walking. The results of scientific studies even show that sitting for too long in everyday life can be the cause of numerous health problems.
These include, for example, metabolic disorders, obesity, high blood pressure or increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Excessive sitting is also said to significantly increase the risk of cancer, heart disease and back pain. In addition, the general quality of life benefits from more movement in everyday life.
However, there are other health problems that can be attributed to sitting for hours on end every day. The following article shows what these are.
The health effects of sitting for too long
If you have the opportunity to do so, you should interrupt your sitting work as often as possible. A flexibly adjustable standing desk also allows you to work standing up, which can counteract the negative effects of standing for too long.
However, regular exercise should also be included in everyday life to keep the muscles flexible and toned and the mind healthy. Spending most of the day sitting down for many years has a noticeably negative effect on health. But in what areas can this be seen in detail?
Weight gain
Various substances, such as lipoprotein lipase, are produced in the muscles. During exercise, the enzyme produced supports sugar digestion and calorie consumption.
However, scientists have discovered that these substances are produced in much smaller quantities when we sit too much. Even if sporting activities are carried out from time to time, there is still an increased risk of obesity due to sitting too much.
Weak lower body
If muscles are not used regularly, they shrink. The muscles in the lower body in particular suffer from a long, sedentary posture.
Their tissue becomes steadily smaller and loses strength. However, as the trunk and leg muscles are primarily responsible for stabilizing the body, this can in turn lead to numerous secondary complaints.
Pain in the back
Both the hips and the back suffer from sitting for too long. This causes the hamstrings to shorten, resulting in pain in the spine – especially if an ergonomic chair is not used or an unfavorable sitting posture is adopted.
It can also happen that the vertebrae are compressed by poor posture when sitting, which accelerates their ageing and can cause chronic pain.
Deep vein thrombosis
There is a high risk of DVT, or deep vein thrombosis, particularly on long car journeys or flights due to the time spent sitting. In this case, the large blood vessels become blocked.
If a piece of the thrombosis breaks loose and spreads through the body, this can lead to a blockage of blood flow to other areas, such as the lungs, which can even be life-threatening.
Depression
What many people don’t realize is that sitting can have consequences for more than just physical health.
If a lot of time is spent sitting, the emotions also suffer. Those affected are more prone to anxiety and despair. Researchers therefore suspect that mental health also suffers from a lack of movement in everyday life.
Development of varicose veins
Peripheral arterial diseases or so-called spider veins develop more quickly if people sit too often for too long. The reason for this is that circulation in the legs stagnates in a sitting position.
Although varicose veins are not generally considered harmful, they do promote thrombosis.
Tension in the neck and shoulders
Pain in the shoulders and neck can also often be attributed to excessive sitting. You should therefore always adopt a sitting position that relieves as much strain as possible on these areas.
However, it is important to ensure that the lower back is not overloaded.
