You may be familiar with the proverb “Sitting is the new smoking”. This statement was promoted to emphasize the potential health risks associated with sitting for long periods of time.

Here are a few different ill health effects of prolonged sitting: 

1. Your metabolism can slow down. Decreased muscle use can lead to a slower clearance of fat from the body and decrease the effects of insulin.

2.  Sitting can lead to chronic pain.  Prolonged sitting, particularly at a desk, can put too much pressure and compression on some body parts, such as the lower back.

3. You will have less energy.  Excessive sitting reduces movement. Our energy levels can be swiftly raised by movement, such as taking a vigorous 20-minute walk.

4.  It can increase your risk of heart attack.  Sedentary lifestyles are associated with an increased risk of heart problems and other health problems.

5.  Your mental health suffers.  In fact, research suggests that spending all of your time indoors and interacting with people only online can have a negative impact on your psychological health and social skills.

6. Your posture may become compromised. Sitting increases the amount of compression on the lumbar discs rather than distributing it equally. This results in the pelvis rotating backward, which will compress the discs.