During 2012, I was working as Assistant Professor at Institute of Wildlife Veterinary Research in Kodagu. In addition to this day job, I started working freelance on writing and statistics projects at home. This involved sitting on a chair and working on computer, for 2-3 hours in the morning and 3-4 hours at night. So, I was spending atleast 6 to 10 hours daily on computer. I was sitting for this much time daily.
Fast forward four years, I had developed unexplained body pains, joint pains, gastric ulcer, stiff back, neck and shoulder pains, obesity, eyestrain, back pains, constipation, headaches, piles, acidity, high blood cholesterol and a sense a laziness.
I was gaining bank balance fast, but losing my body faster.
We were already exploring simple living. I observed that I was sitting too much. And sitting is making me sick.
One by one we eliminated factors that were making me sit for long time.
The bed and mattress was removed and we started sleeping on floor.
Chairs, Sofa, and Deewan were eliminated.
And eventually I gave up all the possible works I was doing on computer.
We don't own any furniture now.
By getting rid of car and long distance travels, sitting has further reduced.
As much as possible, I sit in Veerasana or Squatting posture. This has in itself a major transformation for my body. More on this in a later blog.
My morning walks and evening exercise felt inadequate, as I was still sitting during other times. Hence, I have eliminated all possible sedentary works.
Sedentary works have been replaced with physical works. Infact, the concept of work is a minor component of my life now. It is almost non-existent.
We have not installed running water pipes and taps in kitchen and bathroom deliberately. Everyday we carry the water in buckets and pots from the water tank that is about 60 feets from home. Future plan is to have a well from which we can pullout water manually for daily needs.
As our children are learning out of school naturally, they are saved from sitting disease.
We are physically active most of the day now taking care of domestic and farm chores.
Human body has not evolved to sit long hours. Our body has evolved over millions of years for running (video below showing timeline with evolution of human physical body form). I Run, Therefore I Am. For instance, the man hunted animals by outrunning the preys. A deer was chased for hours. After that the deer gives up. And then the deer was killed and carried back home (video below showing the actual process of hunting). Walking long distance and running are natural. Food and other necessities were accumulated through running and walking long hours.
Just during last few decades with the advancement of mental works, television, smartphones, personal transport vehicles, schooling, furniture, chair etc. sitting became a major part of daily activity.
Within just 30 minutes of sitting, our body starts developing major bad changes like poor blood circulation, inflammation, and dysfunction in the blood vessels, formation of clots, stagnation of blood in legs and around buttock region and so on. This plus many other changes happen in body leading to physical, physiological, hormonal and pathological changes.
Roger Frampton, a model has done excellent work on how sitting destroys our body.
I have listed some scientific studies on effects of sedentary lifestyle on health. I found that sitting long hours affects the body in such a way that almost every major disease develops.
A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by up to 12 times.
About 25% of people are sitting for more than 8 hours daily.
Any Physical Activity, At Any Age, Is Better Than Remaining Sedentary.
Based on analysis of 68,936 cancer cases. It was found that sitting longer increases risk of colon cancer (by 24%) endometrial cancer (by 66%), lung cancer (by 21%). Further, each 2-hour increase in sitting time increases the risk of colon cancer by 8%, endometrial cancer by 10%, and lung cancer by 6%.
Benefits of 20 minutes of exercise are nullified by 2 hours of sitting.
Candidiasis / yeast infection of the vagina, vulva, penis is much more common in sedentary individuals.
College days are major cause and source for sedentary lifestyle.
Constipation and piles have become a common problem due to sedentary lifestyle.
Every hour spent in front of the television per day brings with it an 11 percent greater risk of premature death from all causes, and an 18 percent greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Frequent breaks from sedentary behavior makes kids healthier.
Heart is best suited for endurance activities, not sitting. Heart of a sitting person gets sick.
High-salt diets coupled with low physical activity may affect brain health.
Intense physical activity may lower the prevalence of psoriasis.
Just two minutes of physical activity for every hour of sitting can lower the risk of premature death by as much as 33%.
Lack of physical activity and bad diet leads to hypothyroidism.
Most sedentary people have a 82% risk of dying from cancer compared to least sedentary people.
Night shift works leads to more sedentary lifestyle and further health effects.
PCOD is an outcome of sedentary lifestyle, bad diet , and bad lifestyle habits.
People sitting for longer than 20 minutes are easily distracted.
People who are less active and less physically fit have a 30%-50% greater frequency of hypertension (High BP).
People who sit for 30 minutes or less at a time have a 55% lower risk of death compared to those who sit longer. People that often sit at for more than 90 minutes at a time have a nearly two-fold greater risk of death.
People who spent more than 6 hours per day sitting have a 71% increase in death due to all causes.
People with Rheumatoid arthritis have a history of sedentary living.
People with sedentary lifestyles are at increased risk of developing kidney disease.
Physical activity is necessary for normal immune system functioning. Sedentary lifestyle leads to malfunctioning (low, erratic etc) immunity.
Physical inactivity leads to a significant increase in potentially dangerous visceral fat.
Prolonged periods of sedentary time increases fat deposits around internal organs.
Prolonged sitting weakens the bones, leading to osteoporosis.
Regardless of exercise, too much sedentary time is linked to major disability after 60.
Regular physical activity and avoiding inactivity (sedentary behavior) help reduce build-up of dangerous liver fat, an important complication of obesity.
Risk of heart diseases goes up by 147% in people sitting long hours.
Sedentary behavior increases risk of death for frail, inactive adults.
Sedentary behavior increases with age even in active children.
Sedentary children does not develop normal motor coordination.
Sedentary lifestyle appears to increase risk for both kidney and bladder cancer.
Sedentary lifestyle associated with calcium deposition in heart arteries.
Sedentary lifestyle for 20 years linked to doubled early death risk compared to being active.
Sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for infertility in men and women.
Sedentary lifestyle leads to heart diseases and stroke even when regular exercise is practiced.
Sedentary lifestyle leads to premature hairfall, greying of hairs and balding.
Sedentary lifestyle may impair academic performance in children.
Sedentary Lifestyles Associated With Accelerated Aging Process.
Sitting for 5-6 hours a day watching TV still increases death rate by 50%.
Sitting for long periods increases risk of disease and early death, regardless of exercise.
Sitting for long periods of time increases the risk of diabetes by 112%.
Sitting for more than 7 hours daily increases the risk of depression by 47%.
Sitting is more dangerous than smoking. Sitting is fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. It accounts for 6% of deaths globally, 22% of heart disease, 22% of colon cancer and 12% diabetes and hypertension.
Sitting long hours affects the normal posture of the back, spine and entire body. This leads to back pains, spinal injuries and slip disc etc.
Sitting long hours weakens buttock muscles, leading to DEAD BUTT SYNDROME.
Sitting regularly for prolonged periods is associated with higher mortality from breast cancer. The risk is not negated by regular exercise, though it is lowered.
Sitting still linked to increased risk of depression in adolescents.
Skin diseases like dermatitis, eczema are more common and severe in sedentary children.
Teenagers who spend a lot of time planted in front of the TV are more likely to have higher blood pressure.
Too much time on a computer, watching TV or other sedentary activities raises stroke risk.
TV viewing and sedentary lifestyle in teens linked to diabetes, hypertension in middle age.
Using simple methods, frequent breaks can be taken from sedentary works.
Watching TV (smartphone now a days) sitting long hours shows a 54% higher risk of colon cancer and a 66% greater risk of endometrial cancer.
Young men who have experienced depression early in life may become sedentary later in life.
What to do if your day involves lots of sitting?
It is very simple, walk atleast 10,000 steps everyday. Do not sit longer than 30 minutes at a stretch. Just take a quick break. More breaks, more better. And adopt squatting posture as much as possible (more on this later).
Take Care & Share if You liked This Piece
Madhukar