Posted by Dr. Matt Cleary on Oct 14, 2015 in Back Pain, Forward Head Posture, General health | 0 comments
We may not think of it in the same way we think at smoking or eating fried food but being sedentary for long periods of time can be just as detrimental on one’s health. Whether it be watching TV, driving to work or just working on your workplace computer many of us spend much of our day being sedentary.
According to Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. James Levine, the majority of people spend a whopping 10-15 hours a day sitting. From sun up to sun down many activities that are part of our daily routine involve this sedentary action.
So how bad is sitting really for our health?
According to Dr. Levine, “there are 34 chronic diseases and conditions associated with excess sitting.” These diseases include type II diabetes, obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and even some Cancers.
One place we have the most control over our sedentary lifestyles is at home. While it may be difficult at first but TV watching is one of the more popular activities we engage in while sitting, it might be time to turn it off. In a study of 8,800 adults, reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, Australian researchers discovered that each hour spent watching TV daily “is associated with an 18% increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.” Many of us have turned to other devices at home such as tablet’s and personal computers but the fact still remains these activities promote a sedentary lifestyle.
You don’t have to succumb to sitting disease. Here are some easy ways to get moving:
Sitting especially prolonged sitting puts a tremendous amount of stress on your spine in comparison to standing or lying. This is because while gravity is still in play your core muscles are no longer working so all of you upper body weight is placed on the spinal structures as apposed to being distributed through your core. Furthermore those who have sedentary lifestyles also tend to have postural issues that lead to upper back, neck and headaches. (Read on about the real dangers or tech neck) Chiropractors are especially trained to deal with these specific side effects of sedentary lifestyles.
Remember small changes can make a big difference in quality of life .