A sedentary lifestyle has become a part of modern society nowadays. You can understand it like performing no physical activity for a longer period of time like sitting, lying down, etc. There are many works which have decreased the physical movement of a person. Regular movement is important for our body, but when the body remains inactive for a very long period of time, it can lead to many problems with our health. It can be weight gain, poor posture, and many other problems. Apart from physical health, it also affects mental health. In today’s time, it is very important to understand the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. Giving attention to your physical and mental health will improve health & quality of life both.
What is a Sedentary Lifestyle?
A sedentary lifestyle means that an individual sits for a longer period of time or lies down. They hardly perform any physical activity. This lifestyle includes working on a computer for long hours, using phones, watching television, etc. According to the research studies, a person who take fewer than 5,000 steps per day is generally considered sedentary. This lifestyle is mostly common in modern societies. Technology has made life easier in every way. This is the reason why people engage in very little physical activity these days.
However, this has improved the productivity and comfort, but also decreased overall physical activity levels. This shift has developed serious concerns for doctors because a sedentary lifestyle increases the chances of different types of health and mental problems.
Signs You May Be Living a Sedentary Lifestyle
Sometimes, we don’t even realise that we are suffering from some health issues. These issues arise because of constant sitting or not engaging us with any physical activity. Here are a few signs mentioned that may be a part of a sedentary lifestyle.
Sleeplessness
When we sit for a whole day or do very little physical work, our energy is not wasted. When the body does not perform much physical work, it may disrupt sleep cycles. This happens because our body is not tired and that leads to sleeping problems. Physical activity balances our sleep-wake cycle. When the body is inactive, it disturbs the body’s clock of waking up and sleeping. Sitting the whole day in front of the screen may increase the level of cortisol. This is the reason that individuals keep thinking even when lying down because our brain does not calm down. It can also lead to mental stress which can result in impatience.
Fatigue
Lack of physical movement can make you lazy and slow. When you are not physically active, your lungs do not need to function as much. It reduces cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency, making you feel tired more easily. Due to which you get tired after doing very little work. Inactive body also affects the muscles as they start getting weak because of a lack of physical activity. When an individual does not perform the required physical work, then metabolism becomes slow which makes that person lazy and they always feel tired.
Aches & Pain
When our body is in inactive mode then the muscles become weak and loose. Especially the glutes and core muscles fall asleep which causes all the weight on the back. If we do not move our joints or sit for a long time, it becomes stiff which causes pain in our joints. It can also lead to poor circulation of blood in our body. Blood’s flow becomes slow due to which our body does not get enough nutrients. This is the reason pain and aches remain in our bodies.
Weight Gain
Weight gain is the primary sign of a sedentary lifestyle. When we do not even perform minimum physical activity, our body burns very few calories. These deposits are fat in our body which is the reason for weight gain. An inactive body can also lead to a slowing down of metabolism. This can also be the reason that your body starts gaining weight without even eating much food.
Shortness of Breath
If we do not exercise or do minimal physical movement, our heart’s pumping power decreases and our lungs stop opening completely. This is the reason you feel tired, even with small work. Secondly, our muscles need oxygen to do work. When an individual is not active, their muscles are not able to absorb as much oxygen as they need. For example, when a person climbs stairs, their body needs more oxygen than they can get and they feel breathless. When the body is inactive, it can also lead to early fatigue. Your body feels a lot of stress which causes shortness of breath.
How does an Inactive Lifestyle Affect your Body?
A sedentary lifestyle affects an individual’s body in many ways. Take a look at it.
- Reduces calorie burn which can lead to weight gain.
- Muscle strength can become weak.
- Bones may become weak and minerals present in them may decrease.
- The immune system may weaken over the time.
- Slowing Down of Blood Circulation.
- Chances of Hormonal Imbalance.
- Affect on Metabolism.
- Increasing blood sugar levels in the blood. It can increase the level of diabetes.
Health Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle can lead to many serious health problems in the future. Here are some of the health risks that can occur because of a sedentary lifestyle.
Obesity
Sedentary lifestyle and obesity have a deep relationship. In today’s time, we spend most of our time sitting or lying down. When the body becomes inactive, obesity can lead to many serious diseases. Energy imbalance is the main factor in obesity. In this, when you take calories obtained from food but are not able to burn them. This gets deposits in the form of fat and mainly increases around the stomach area which can be risky. Obesity can also affect metabolism. It can slow down the metabolism which can lead to insulin resistance. Obesity can also lead to many other problems like heart disease, joint pain, etc.
Diabetes
Sitting in front of a computer for a very long time is one of the reasons for a lack of physical activity. When we sit for a long time then our muscles become inactive. The main role of muscles is to take glucose from the blood and convert it into energy. When the body does not perform physical movement as it is required then it can lead to insulin resistance. This can result to deposit of sugar in the blood which can increase diabetes. Another main reason for diabetes is metabolism. Because of an inactive body, the process of metabolism in our body slows down. This can affect the pancreas and may lead to type two diabetes.
Hypertension
When an individual has a sedentary lifestyle, the risk of hypertension increases. When the body is not active then our arteries lose flexibility and become hard. Due to which the heart has to work harder to pump blood which increases blood pressure. Weight gain is the other main reason which is the cause of hypertension. Sitting for a longer period of time can cause blood to deposit in the feet. This affects the nervous system very badly which causes high BP. It can also lead to inflammation. If you will not control your BP, then it can also lead to heart attack, stroke, diseases related to the kidney, etc.
Heart Disease
The major health risks of a sedentary lifestyle is heart disease. When the body is not active, the muscles of the heart and the entire cardiovascular system become weak. When an individual’s body is inactive for a very long time then the heart has to work harder to pump the blood. Due to which it becomes tired more quickly. An inactive body can also slow down the blood circulation in the body which creates blood clots in the veins. This becomes the reason for a heart attack or stroke. According to the research studies, people who sit for more than nine to ten hours have a higher chance of heart failure. It is also called ” Sitting is the new smoking” in today’s world.
Vein-Related Problems
A sedentary lifestyle can be very dangerous for our veins. This is known as part of sitting disease. Our feet depend on the calf muscles to return the blood to the heart. Our feet pump the blood through the veins and force it to the heart. But when a person sits for a very long time continuously, then the pump gets stopped and blood pools in the feet. This causes swelling and bruising in the vein which in result gives pain and heaviness. One of the very serious conditions is deep vein thrombosis. In this condition, when an individual does not perform any physical activity for a very long time, then blood clots can also deposit in the feet. This can be a reason for serious problem in the future.
Mental Health Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle also affects mental health in many ways. Here are a few mental health risks that should not be avoided to prevent future problems.
Depression, Anxiety & Stress
When our body is not physically active, it may be the reason of reduce levels of serotonin and dopamine. These hormones are called the feel good hormones which decrease due to sitting for a long time and lead to irritation, tiredness and sadness. It can also lead to inflammation which reaches the area of our brain that control our mood swings. This is considered the main reason for depression. It also affects the sleep and due to which it lead to depression. If you are spending most of your time on electronic devices, then it can also be the major reason for loneliness and mental illness.
When we sit for a long period of time, our brains release cortisol. In older times, people used to do physical activity to relieve stress. But in today’s time, people sit in a chair even when they are stressed. This is the reason that stress cannot get released because of an inactive body leading to anxiety, depression and other mental health problems. There are also many other effects of stress on the brain which can increase the chances of mental health risk. Without exercise or any physical activity, our body and brain become weak and lose the power to tolerate mental conditions. This creates tension even after a small problem.
Ways to Make Changes to a Sedentary Lifestyle
Read out a few tips which may be helpful for you to maintain your health and work at the same time.
- Do exercises like walking, stretching your body, and going up and down the stairs.
- Do Yoga.
- Fold your clothes while standing only.
- Do household chores.
- Talk or read while circling in your garden or home.
- Organise your working area in such a way that it does not give you discomfort.
- Take a break for five minutes after every half an hour.
- Drink water to prevent your body from dehydration.
When to See a Specialist?
If no positive result is coming out from your own lifestyle changes, then you should visit the doctor. Here are few reasons which you should consider.
- Sometimes, even after taking care of your mental health on your own do not work. In this case, you should consult a mental health specialist for help.
- If the pain remains in the back, neck or in the full body even after doing exercise.
- Sudden shortness of breath.
- Pain in the chest.
- Urge to urinate.
- Swelling in the feet.
- Feeling heavy all the time.
- Extreme tiredness.
Conclusion
Sedentary lifestyle have become more common in today’s times. It is mostly common in those people who are working continuously for nine to ten hours while sitting. This had made their body inactive and made physical action very limited for them. An inactive body is the reason for many types of physical and mental health problems. Through this content, you will be able to understand the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. In this content, we have also mentioned a few tips that may be helpful for you to manage your daily routine and prevent future complications.
Note: This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare expert for diagnosis or treatment.
