Posted by Dr Harley Rushton on 15 July 2013 - 6:00pm
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Sit to Death - How Sitting Affects Our Health
Sitting…It’s so common these days, you are probably doing it right now as you read this! Most people spend the majority of their time awake sitting and unfortunately, new research is proving that it’s, well, killing us.
Sitting…It’s so common these days, you are probably doing it right now as you read this! Most people spend the majority of their time awake sitting and unfortunately, new research is proving that it’s, well, killing us.
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Many researchers, including Dr. Joan Vernikos, former director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division and author of Sitting Kills, Moving Heals, are proving that when we are in a prolonged seated position it is an independent risk factor for poor health and premature death.
Studies show that even if you exercise regularly but sit the majority of the time, you are at risk of dying earlier than you should. Doesn’t sound like this is what you want? Well the good news is that you can help counteract this. Some of Dr. Verniko’s research shows that if you break up the sitting position by moving or standing up 35 times per day or more it helps to reduce the negative effects of sitting.
Her studies show that “standing up once every hour was more effective than walking on a treadmill for 15 minutes for cardiovascular and metabolic changes and sitting down and standing up repeatedly for 32 minutes does NOT have the same effect as standing up once, 32 times over the course of a day.” To get the benefit, “the stimulus must be spread throughout the day” she says.
So, if you have a desk job, I highly recommend you adopt this method each and every day along with your other healthy lifestyle choices.
Dr Harley Rushton
Chiropractor