I’m embarrassed to admit how much time I spend sitting. I’m one of those lucky workers who has a computer-related job, but I spend most of my day sitting in a chair. As I write these words, I am – you guessed it – sitting. Other than daily training and short walks back and forth between the car or bus (where I sit) and a friend’s house or restaurant (where I also sit), my days are spent entirely sedentary. In my 20s, I never paid much attention to my sedentary habits. Now, 10 years later, I start to feel tension in my lower back and lower back when I sit for long periods of time.
I’m not the only one desperate to sit. How much time do American adults spend? Seated for an average of 7.7 hours per day. Both prolonged sitting (sitting uninterrupted for long periods of time in a seat) and sedentary behavior (sedentary behavior) Extremely low energy consumptionActivities such as playing video games, watching television, using computers, and reading books are associated with many negative health effects.sedentary behavior Increased risk diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even early death.sit for a long time Your chances will increase It is effective against blood clots, back and joint pain, weight gain, and cancer.
and Regular physical activity has little effect Offsets the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time. Keith Diaz“The great thing about any exercise you do, whether it’s 30 minutes or 60 minutes, is that your muscles are activated and stimulated very intensely,” says Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center. It will no longer perform its function unless you use it.”
When you sit, your leg muscles are in a shortened position, which can cause stiffness, pain and difficulty moving. Scott Capozza, oncology physical therapist at Yale Cancer Center Smilow Cancer Hospital. “Also, if you sit for long periods of time, you’re not doing any cardiovascular activity,” he added. “So it’s not good for your heart, your lungs, your circulation.”
However, there is some good news. 2023 survey Diaz’s co-authors found that just five minutes of light walking every 30 minutes can reduce some of these risks. Experts say improvements are also being made to provide exercise breaks for people with limited mobility or who use wheelchairs. In general, experts believe that the maximum amount of time a person can spend sitting at any time is her one hour. 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week As recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, you should try to get up from your seat at least once every hour to offset the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time. Here’s some expert-approved advice on how to do this.
How to remind yourself to move
Back-to-back Zoom meetings and highly absorbing media can keep you glued to your chair for hours at a time without realizing it. In his 2023 study, Diaz found that most participants simply forgot to stand. Many smartwatches and fitness trackers can display movement reminders to remind users to get up after a certain amount of time. If you don’t have one, Capozza recommends setting an alarm or reminder on your phone every 30 to 60 minutes, or placing a note next to your computer screen reminding you to get up.
Diaz suggests tying movement into a routine. If you have a lot of meetings, both virtual and in-person, use the end of each conversation as a cue to get going. Or, after completing the slides for a presentation you’re preparing, go for a short walk. Try swapping your 40-ounce Stanley tumbler for a smaller water bottle that requires more refills. That means more trips to the kitchen. “When you tie it to a routine, it becomes more sustainable and becomes part of a habit you don’t have to rely on to remind yourself to do it,” Diaz says.
Your body gives you the best signals to let you know when to move. Don’t ignore stiffness or fatigue or mistakenly think muscle tension is a signal to continue resting. Take that as a cue to move your body, says Diaz.
How to make your day more mobile
Once you get up from your seat, there are some movements you can try without using too much force. Whether you work in an office or from home, you can step out to fill your water bottle or go to the bathroom. If possible, try to use the fountain furthest from your desk or the bathroom on another floor, Capozza suggests. To make the most of your phone time, take a walk or unload the dishwasher while you’re on the call. (Using a headset or wireless headphones reduces neck strain and helps you chat hands-free.) Commuters can also park at the back of a parking lot or take public transit a stop or two earlier. You can also get off and walk the rest of the way to work if you have time. And if the weather permits.
walking meetingAlthough it’s a relatively niche concept, they say it encourages more movement throughout the workday. barton cowgill, adjunct associate professor of health policy and management at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. But such a cultural shift requires buy-in from leaders to reduce sedentary behavior, Cowgill says. “We need to recognize that we are often in environments where rules can limit us. [or] It’s a culture around doing that,” he says. “Therefore, we need support from both leaders, administrators, and organizations to enable employees, students, and even patients in healthcare settings to participate in these athletic activities.”
Whether you’re in the middle seat of a plane or enrolled in a three-hour class with limited breaks, you can travel while seated. Cowgill and Capozza say you can keep your joints flexible by fidgeting, tapping your toes, rolling your shoulders, doing heel raises, ankle rotations, and stretching your legs while sitting. That’s what it means. Some relatively easy movements you can do at your desk (or in front of the TV) include mini-squats in and out of a chair or push-ups against a wall.
People with limited mobility also have the option to spread out their movements throughout the day. If you can move your legs, try stretching them a few times, marching in a seated position, or flexing your ankles, Capozza says. For upper body movements, capital he raises his arms above his head and to his sides in a T and Y shape. Diaz recommends riding a bike, pumping your arms, and using resistance bands. If possible, Diaz also recommends putting on some music and dancing in whatever way feels most comfortable to you during the song.
How long and how hard you move makes a difference.
Even if it’s just standing up and touching your toes, it’s better to move than to sit for long periods of time. However, Diaz and his colleagues found that 5 minutes of low-intensity walking was more effective at counteracting the negative effects of sitting than 1 minute of low-intensity walking. Diaz doesn’t have proof yet, but he suspects that high-intensity, short-duration exercise is just as effective as low-intensity, long-duration exercise. “My hunch is that his minute of moderate to vigorous exercise is [movement] “It’s better than a minute of light,” he says. “If someone only has a minute to spare, I’d say do something a little more strenuous.” Perhaps that means walking briskly or running up and down the stairs.
People with schedules that require them to sit for hours at a time, such as truck or ride-hailing drivers, often spend as much time as possible doing housework or playing with their children instead of heading to the office at the end of the work day. You should try to work during your travel time. For the sofa. “If she has to take a two-hour class, she walks for 10 minutes afterward,” Diaz says.
Make sure to maintain correct posture when sitting
Capozza says it’s important to maintain good posture while sitting to avoid neck and back pain. Make sure your hips and pelvis are slightly above your knees. Your feet should rest on the ground with your weight evenly distributed on both sides. In other words, avoid lifting one leg up on a stool or shelf. Try to keep your weight balanced between your pelvis and legs to reduce pressure on your back. “You don’t want to sit too far back in your chair and put weight on your pelvis and hips,” says Capozza. And it puts more weight on your legs. ”
Make sure the screen is at eye level so you’re looking straight ahead and not down. Capozza recommends sitting 18 to 24 inches away from your computer screen. Be careful not to slouch or raise your shoulders.
Don’t rush to buy a standing desk. “We’re also seeing evidence that standing for long periods of time can cause problems,” Cowgill says. “It’s important to have an adjustable desk and have a balance between sitting and standing throughout the day.”
Ideally, you should try to move as much as possible during every waking hour, not just during work hours, says Diaz. This is especially true if you have a sedentary job. However, as the day nears its end, you can focus on rest. “Our bodies need rest and recovery from stressful days,” says Diaz. “I love sitting down at the end of the day and just relaxing and watching Netflix. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I’m trying to be more active and make that kind of movement throughout the day. Then you won’t have to feel guilty at the end of the day.”