Sitting is slowly Killing all of us

sitting-is-killing-you

Things just aren’t what they used to be in many ways. As a culture, we used to fill our days with standing, working on crops in our fields, gathering or hunting for our food then later came standing working in factories or mills. With modern advances such as computers, television and desk jobs, many of us sit for the majority of the day and recently we have discovered some staggering statistics. The average American now sits for 9.3 hours a day! This is more than the average American spends sleeping (7.7 hours!) Our bodies are not designed for this and in turn, some scary side effects are being noticed. You might want to stand up for this:

Death

Yes, sitting is slowly killing us. Sitting for 6+ hours per day makes you 40% more likely to die within 15 years than someone who sits less than 3 hours a day even if you exercise.

Obesity

We all know obesity is becoming a huge problem in the US (1 in 3 Americans are obese) but sitting may be part of the problem. Researchers have found that obese people sit on average 2.5 more hours a day than thinner people. Sitting alone decreases the enzyme activity that helps us burn fat by 90%!

Cardiovascular

People who have jobs that require them to sit have been found to have twice the rate of cardiovascular disease! After sitting for 2 hours good cholesterol levels drop of 20%.

 

How can we try to avoid the death trap of sitting for most of the day?

What can you do in order to prevent the negative stresses on your body?

At Work

Break up your day at the office whenever you can with stretching, marching in place, going for walks or doing jumping jacks. Keep your blood flowing and avoid being sedentary for too long of a period of time.

How-Sitting-is-Killing-Us

Television (TV)

Get off the couch! Those who watch more than 3 hours a day of TV are 64% more likely to die from heart disease.

So, literally, sitting is slowly killing all of us. We also see it in our office every day, as sitting is usually at least a huge contributor to neck, shoulder and lower back pain. We all need to make a conscious effort to get up and move. Modern conveniences have made life too easy and sedentary.

If you have any of the aches and pains caused from too much sitting, give us a call today before it gets worse. (828) 348-1780. We offer Same Day Appointments for those that are post surgical or medically urgent. We offer discounts or payment plans for those that have high insurance deductible health plans, no insurance or have a financial hardship.

As a reminder, all patients do not need a referral to go to physical therapy. Call now to make an appointment, and we’ll send all necessary communications to your primary care provider.

 

Christopher Taylor, PT

Chris Taylor is the Founding Physical Therapist at PHYSIO Physical Therapy and Wellness Asheville. He has been voted Best Physical Therapist in Western North Carolina every year by the Mountain XPress Reader Poll. His experience includes being a patient himself which deepens his understanding of each aspect of the rehab process. He has lived and worked in 11 states which contributes to the treatment style he has developed which breaks the mold. Become a better You today! #KeepAshevilleActive