28 Life Altering Risks from Sitting too Long or too Much
Experts tell the tale of how sitting harms your health
What are the risks of sitting too much?
As I began writing this post, I was sitting at my computer work station. About 15 minutes later I was standing at my "make-shift" standing desk. See what it looks like at the bottom of the post -- and read on to find out why I had to stand up. It is not a pretty picture for your health if your job requires sitting at a desk for 4 hours or more.
James Levine M.D., Ph.D
Dr. James A. Levine of the Mayo Clinic links long periods of sitting to these 11 health concerns [1]:
obesity
metabolic syndrome
high blood pressure
high blood sugar
excess body fat around the waist
abnormal cholesterol levels
increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer
increased risk of death from any cause
increased risk of cardiovascular disease
increased risk of angina
increased risk of heart attack
In addition, Levine noted that adding a few trips to the gym a week (or other activity) did not offset the negative impact created by sitting too long. In other words, nothing solves the problem except decreasing the amount of hours you sit each day.
Dr. Joseph Mercola
Dr. Mercola adds these 9 dangers to the risks of sitting too much [2]:
insomnia
arthritis
cancer
premature death
obesity
depression (especially in middle-aged women)
reduced feelings of well-being
psychological distress
diminished happiness
Medical Daily
3 more dangers associated with prolonged sitting [3]:
weakened muscles
impaired blood circulation
increased anxiety
Live Science
And finally, Live Science adds these five risks from too much sitting — which are specifically related to being diagnosed or dying from these types of cancer [4]:
breast cancer
colon cancer
colorectal cancer
endometrial cancer
ovarian cancer
One of the best solutions to avoid the above risks is to use a standing desk. There are several models available on the market in all price ranges.
[This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something from one of the links below, I may earn a commission. Thanks in advance.]
Here are a few of note, prices vary:
60" Crank Adjustable Height Sit to Stand Up Desk with Heavy Duty Steele Frame.
Or Make Your Own. Price Free.
You can see why I found it necessary to make a way for a standing desk —immediately. Now my keyboard is resting on an old Lexmark printer that is stacked upon two copies of Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and Who's Who In The Bible. My monitor is resting on Matthew Henry's Commentary of the Whole Bible — which in turn is resting on the printer stand on my desk. My mouse pad is resting on a book that I am reviewing, which is resting on 14 copies of Wise Traditions, which are resting on a small flat chest. I hope I don't have to use it forever: but it works today.
Update: I finally picked up a beautiful electric standing desk for a couple hundred at Costco.
Sitting too much is clearly putting Americans at risk for all sorts of illnesses, conditions, and diseases. While a standing desk will help combat these detrimental effects — it will never provide your body with the exercise it needs to remain healthy. Our next post will discuss the physiology of exercise and why it is absolutely necessary for good health.
Next: 22 Benefits of Regular Moderate Exercise
Return to: Biblical Health Study
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[1] http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005
[2] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/07/prolonged-sitting-depression.aspx
[3] http://www.medicaldaily.com/constantly-sitting-down-being-sedentary-could-worsen-anxiety-and-mental-health-338952
[4] http://www.livescience.com/49518-sitting-cancer-heart-risk.html