And what to do about it

We are all sitting in front of screens more than ever now with the COVID pandemic and while there is an end in sight, these habits may be tough to break.

“Sitting is the new smoking” is a phrase that has been tossed around to warn of the danger of our increasingly sedentary lifestyles in North America. While this may be slightly hyperbolic, there is some truth in the fact that sitting for extended periods of time without moving can be detrimental to your health. While sitting at your desk might not be the equivalent of hanging out in the smokers’ lounge, it could very well yield the same results if you are not giving your body time to move throughout the day. Sitting for extended periods of time and an overall sedentary lifestyle can contribute to:

• Fatty acid builds up in the blood vessels, leading to heart disease, due to the slowing of blood flow (and sometimes pooling).
• Regularly sitting for extended periods of time has some links to insulin resistance, the leading cause of type 2 diabetes and obesity.
• There is a much higher risk of blood clots and associated problems (stroke, collapsed lung, circulation issues).
• Reduces the production of lipoprotein lipase (an enzyme essential for breaking down fat) so instead of breaking down fat, it is stored instead, increasing your risk of obesity.
• Reduces bone mineral density, increasing your risk of osteoporosis.
• Less movement means less “greasing the joints” and therefore is associated with musculoskeletal disorders such as chronic knee and other joint pain.

Take a close look at the amount of time you spend sitting at a desk, in front of a screen or behind the wheel and compare that to the amount of physical activity you get.Too much sitting overall and prolonged periods of sitting also seem to increase the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.

So what should you do?

It is recommended that you move a little at least once an hour to help get your blood and lymph tissue flowing -- all of which helps increase oxygen supply to the cells (bonus that it will energize and nourish your brain to keep you alert!) and helps eliminate toxins. Below are some suggestions of ways to use your chair to help stretch and strengthen throughout the day to get your body moving more.

Another great recommendation is a sit / stand desk -- ask your company or ergonomic consultant (or occupational therapist) about options to help get you more mobile and give your body more variety throughout the day. In addition to this, it is recommended that you integrate other forms of physical activity throughout your day. Think you’re too busy to move more? Look for quick and easy ways to integrate more physical activity in your day:

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator. 
• Get on or off the bus one or two stops early to walk a little further.
• Walk the “long way” around to get in your car.
• Park further from work or the entrance of stores to get a little more movement (bonus is that parking away from other cars also makes you less likely to get dents and scratches!)

You’ll find that as you start to look for more opportunities to move, it will get easier to move more throughout your day!