Did you know that one in four adults does not meet globally recommended levels of physical activity? Given that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with “increased risk of negative health outcomes, including weight gain and obesity, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and all-cause mortality.” This is unfortunate, says Jessica Matthews. Point Loma Nazarene University.
But how do you know if you're not moving enough? Read this article to learn about the various signs of a sedentary lifestyle you should look out for and how it affects your physical and mental health. Learn how it can impact you. Plus, here are some simple solutions to help you get up and move more.
- Jessica Matthews, DBH, is a national board-certified health and wellness coach and assistant professor of kinesiology and integrative wellness at Point Loma Nazarene University.
- Dr. Amy Layton is an exercise physiologist at Columbia University and a member of the Peloton Health & Wellness Advisory Board.
- Joe Holder is a Nike Master Trainer and Health and Wellness Consultant.
- Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is a preventive cardiologist and founder of Heart-Tech Health.
- Dr. Sanul Corrielus, FAAC, is a board-certified cardiologist and owner of Corrielus Cardiology in Philadelphia.
- Matt West is a psychologist, national speaker, and co-founder of Boom Journal.
What is a sedentary lifestyle?
A sedentary lifestyle is defined by the Sedentary Behavior Research Network (SBRN) as a waking state characterized by energy expenditure of less than 1.5 metabolic equivalents while sitting, lying, or lying down. is defined as the behavior of In layman's terms, a sedentary lifestyle is characterized by a lack of physical activity and spending long, uninterrupted periods or large portions of the day sitting or lying down.
Simply put, our bodies are not designed to stay still for long periods of time. And it doesn't take long for sedentary tendencies to negatively impact health. Research shows that just two weeks of inactivity (in young, healthy people) can have serious health effects, including loss of muscle mass and changes in metabolism.
Dr. Amy Leighton of Columbia University
“Historically, if people sat or lay down for hours without sleeping, they would starve or be eaten by something. [Nowadays] I wonder if something will make me sick or cause me to age faster. ”
— Dr. Amy Layton of Columbia University
How much time is too long to sit still?
The general recommendation is to reduce prolonged sedentary behavior to no more than 60 minutes at a time, Matthews says. To reduce inactivity, focus on moving your body more frequently throughout the day.
“Aim for 3 to 6 minutes of exercise at the end of each hour,” suggests Nike trainer Joe Holder. “Set your alarm and get up and walk around. Sit down or stand up from your chair.”
These “exercise snacks,” as Holder calls them, can help break up long periods of sitting and get your blood flowing. “I can't talk enough about the need to let your body do what it's supposed to do, which is not sit,” Holder says.
Signs of a sedentary lifestyle
Still not sure if your habits are too sedentary? Here are some of the main signs that you're not getting enough exercise for your mental and physical health and that it's time to step up your physical activity. I will introduce you.
Does not meet global health recommendations
One way to know if you're a sedentary person is to consider the World Health Organization's guidelines. The guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity plus 2 minutes per week. Days of strength training. If none of these suggestions apply to you, you may not be moving hard enough. solution? Slowly increase your exercise tolerance until you reach above this threshold.
Spend more than half of your waking hours without moving
Another useful metric is how much you move during your waking hours. “Count your sleep hours and subtract it from your 24 hours. That number is the number of hours you have to be active and focused during the day. If you spend more than 50 percent of that time sitting, lying, or If you're spending your time in the middle of nowhere, you're not moving, so it's important to find ways to change this,” says Suzanne Steinbaum, MD, HeartTech Health.
To become more active, it is enough to park your car at a faraway supermarket or attend a walking meeting. You can also use the stairs instead of the elevator and add a holder “exercise snack” for each hour of sitting.
constantly experience fatigue
Fatigue can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, poor diet, and hormonal imbalances, but being sedentary can also contribute to extreme fatigue. The more you sit, the more defeated you will feel. That's because your body, including your heart, lungs, and muscles, are “out of condition” and this can happen in just a few days.
Good news. Research shows that moving can restore the spring in your feet. One study that looked at the effects of exercise on people who reported sustained levels of fatigue found that people who did 20 minutes of low- or moderate-intensity exercise three times a week for six weeks had a 20 percent increase in energy levels. I understand.
Both groups also reported a reduction in fatigue, but the reduction in fatigue was much greater in the low-intensity group. Translation: You don't have to suffer to enjoy the benefits.
Pay attention to changes in weight and metabolism
To keep your weight from fluctuating unhealthyly, you need to burn the same amount of calories as you consume. However, if you sit too much, your energy expenditure decreases dramatically, even though your calorie intake remains the same. Excess calories are stored as fat.
Similarly, being sedentary also affects your metabolism, the body's process of converting food into energy. A slower metabolism means you burn fewer calories at rest.
“Blood flow is reduced, which slows down your metabolism,” Leighton says. “In the long run, it leads to diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, and other illnesses.” If you find yourself getting too stagnant, focus on moving more before considering cutting additional calories from your diet. please.
feel the wind
Minimizing your movements will make the wind feel faster. “The heart relies on good oxygen flow,” says Sanul Corrielus, M.D., of Corrielus Cardiology, FAAC.
As we sink deeper into the couch, Dr. Corrieras explains, “…our breathing becomes shallow, which depletes the good flow of oxygen supply to the heart, worsening its condition.” We may also experience palpitations, which “we do not cope with effectively.” and may lead to further deterioration of heart function,” Dr. Coriels added.
Dr. Steinbaum says the more stagnant a person is, the higher their risk of death and heart disease. Research shows that for every additional hour of TV viewing per day, the risk of cardiovascular disease increases. Additionally, sitting for at least 10 hours per day (compared to sitting for less than 5 hours) increases your risk of heart attack.
“When you don't exercise or exercise, your sympathetic nervous system increases,” Dr. Steinbaum explains. “Sympathetic overactivity leads to an increase in stress hormones and inflammatory markers, which in turn leads to an increase in cardiovascular disease.”
As we get older, it takes longer to recover from a sedentary lifestyle. That said, Dr. Corelius says it will take about eight to 10 weeks of continued training to reverse any loss in conditioning. “The key is to start and stick with it, even if it's just a 10-minute walk every other day,” says Dr. Corelius.
The goal is to do up to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week. Need a little boost to get started? JAMA Cardiology reveals that just one session is enough to prevent heart damage for two to three hours.
lose quality sleep
Sleep is precious. Not getting the right amount of sleep (the recommended 7 to 9 hours) can lead to metabolic problems, weakened immunity, and increased risk of premature death. And the longer you are inactive, the more your sleep will suffer.
For example, spending more than 11 hours a day in chill mode (let's be honest, we've all binge-watched entire seasons) can reduce both the quality and quantity of your sleep. A meta-analysis also found that excessive sedentary habits increase the likelihood of insomnia.
Rest assured, you'll sleep better if you follow the recommended activity guidelines. Studies have shown that these people are 95 percent less likely to feel excessively sleepy throughout the day.
Detect decline in mental health
Mental health can also be affected by lack of exercise. If you notice a decline in your mental state, consider adding exercise to your daily routine.
“Studies also show that sedentary people have lower psychological well-being and lower quality of life,” Steinbaum said, noting that these people are also more likely to be depressed. Dr. Steinbaum adds that exercise is associated with the release of serotonin, “These 'feel-good' hormones cause a 'runner's high', driving people to crave exercise and commit to an exercise plan.” he added.
How can we improve poor mental health and inactivity at the same time? Mindfulness can play an important role. Being aware of your inactive tendencies and choosing to be active can put your mind and mood in a better state.
“Mindfulness strengthens your ability to fight stress and anxiety,” says Matt West of Boom Journal. West strongly believes that conscious physical movement is extremely beneficial in optimizing the relationship between fitness and mental health. For example, one study showed that students who paid attention and were physically active had higher moods and less stress. Combining habits makes them even more effective.
Beware of memory loss
Typically, when we think of being sedentary, the focus is on physical side effects such as muscle weakness, heart problems, and overall risk of diseases such as cancer. But our brains need exercise just as much as our bodies.
Research shows that spending hours sitting reduces the thickness of the medial temporal lobe, the area of the brain responsible for memory. This brain change may explain why we become more forgetful when we're lazy. However, aerobic exercise such as treadmill walking not only strengthens this area, but also helps with age-related cognitive problems such as dementia.
Ideas for increasing movement throughout the day
Even minimal increases in physical activity can improve your health and sense of well-being. Medical experts stress that it's better to start small and stick to it than not to start at all. Don't keep sitting on the couch by setting an intimidating fitness metric like 10,000 steps a day. Consistency and achievable goals will help you break free from a sedentary lifestyle.
Here are some easy ways to add movement to your daily schedule, whether you're at home or at work.
- Gardening and housework counting. Cleaning the house, working in the yard, gardening, etc. may be standard chores that need to be completed, but they are all physical activities. To increase intensity, consider a faster pace.
- exercise at home (Even while watching TV). Of course, you can find workout videos and routines to follow, but you can also just move your body while watching your favorite show. Try walking in place, weight training, or using a stationary bike.
- Take a walk. A walk around your neighborhood in the morning or evening is a great way to add some activity to your day. If you have children or dogs, please bring them with you.
- get up and move while at work. Even if you have a desk job, you can stand up every hour to stretch or move around on the spot. You can also talk while standing. If you work from home, consider purchasing a standing desk.
- walk during break. Take part of your lunch or short break to walk a lap around the building. Get some vitamin D by getting some sunlight while you're out and about.
- please use the stairs. Avoid using elevators. Instead, use the stairs to get from floor to floor. If it's your lunch break, take the stairs a little bit.
