So many of us have fallen into the trap of living sedentary lives, usually without even realizing it.

However, with health conditions like obesity on the rise in most countries around the world, and some of the world’s experts claiming that sitting down is the new smoking, how many of us are mindful of how sitting down for so long is affected us in both the short and long term?

Today, we aim to educate and clear up any myths related to sitting down for most of our lives, detailing whether or not this is something you should be thinking about.

How Long Do You Sit Down for Daily?

Of course, this all depends on the nature of your life and what you do on a daily basis. For example, if you work in a gym as a personal trainer, or you work in a manual labor role, you might be up on your feet all day every day and sitting down is a luxury you get to enjoy at the end.

However, if you spend most of your life sitting at a desk in an office, or driving around for work, you could be sitting down a lot more than you think.

Consider the fact you sleep during the night, then sit at breakfast, sit on your way to work, sit at work, sit for lunch, sit at work again, sit on the way home, and then sit in front of the television at night. This quickly shows how much of the day you’re sitting down.

Statistics show that the average worker will spend around 10 hours a day sitting down. Couple that with the typical 7 hours of sleep most people have, that’s only 7 hours of a day spent standing.

The Dangers of Sitting Down Too Long

The health dangers of sitting down too long every day are becoming apparent. Here’s a quick insight into some of them:

  • You’re twice as likely to get heart disease
  • You decrease your life expectancy
  • You increase your risk of dementia
  • Seven hours of sitting can undo seven hours at the gym
  • Increased risk of diabetes
  • Weight gain
  • Higher risk of anxiety
  • Increased risk of back and spine problems

As you can see, the dangers of sitting down for too long can be extremely dangerous to your health, which is why you need to be mindful of them to counteract them.

How to Mindfully Not Sit Down for So Long

Ideally, you’ll want to make sure you’re standing for at least 15 minutes of every hour, although some experts claim you should be standing for at least 30 minutes to feel the benefits.

This can be done by simply setting a timer and making sure you stand up for this amount of time. It may take a while to develop the habit, but it’s undoubtedly a habit worth forming.

Likewise, you can replace the equipment in your home or office to make standing more comfortable. For example, investing in a standing desk, or an adjustable desk, can make it easy to switch between sitting and standing without it being too much of a hassle. You can find out more about this solution by checking out this article by Uncaged Ergonomics.

Summary

As you can see, it’s essential to make sure you’re being mindful of how much you’re sitting per day, and then taking the appropriate steps to find balance in your life. There’s no reason why something with such easy solutions should take a toll on your health and wellbeing. Look after yourself!