The human body was designed to move. Walking on two feet is kind of our “thing” as humans, right? That’s what makes us special compared to other mammals. So why don’t we move more?
Researchers from the CDC published a research article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that found 1 out of every 4 adults in the US sits for more than 8 hours per day. More than half the population sits for greater than 6 hours per day. Research has also shown that sitting for longer than 4 hours per day leads to things like metabolic changes, blood sugar issues, and blood pressure issues. These issues result in heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, back pain, dementia, depression, osteoporosis, and muscle degeneration. For more information on how and why, click here. Because of the negative impact sitting has on our health, people are now saying that “sitting is the new smoking.”
The same study found that 40% of the population is inactive, meaning they get less than 150min of moderate intensity activity through an entire week. If we were designed to be upright and ambulatory, why do we sit so much?
A lot of factors contribute to this new sedentary culture. As humans, we were very active for thousands of years. In the 1900’s, rapid advances in industry and technology led to a rapid decline in physical activity. More jobs became desk jobs. We sit for long commutes to get to those jobs. We can now sit on a plane and fly across the entire country in a matter of hours. We have a million options for entertainment at the push of a button and our favorite recliner is calling our name. Our phones can do just about anything, but how often are you standing when gaming, or shopping, or FaceBooking?
Thankfully, you can significantly reduce the risk of negative effects on your health by simply standing more. You don’t have to engage in vigorous activity to be less sedentary. Low intensity activity throughout the day, including standing or just walking, can have a very positive effect on the health of our bodies and minds. Every one of us can, and should, make a change. Start small, and aim to add a little bit more, then a little more. Like Isaac Newton once said, “an object in motion stays in motion.” Let’s get that ball rolling and do our part to make our community more active and healthier.
If you have aches and pains that are holding you back, we can help. If you find yourself sore from increasing your activity, we can help. If you just don’t know where to start, we can help. Let us help you “MOVE BETTER, FEEL BETTER, LIVE BETTER!”