Sitting there is killing you

The research is in. Sitting there is killing you.  A growing body of “inactivity” research beginning as far back as 1992 shows that sitting for long periods of time has lethal effects.  To counter these effects, take the extra step and interrupt your sitting.

As soon as you sit down, electrical activity in your muscles shuts off, calorie burning drops to one per minute, enzymes that clear your blood of fat drop 90 percent, good cholesterol drops 20 percent and insulin effectiveness drops within a single day. Over time, your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases exponentially.

Sitting is bad for your health. Whether you are a marathon runner or morbidly obese, whether you go home after work and watch television or hit the gym. The effects of long periods of sitting can be lethal. In fact, over time it can shave a few years off of your life.

We were not made to sit for long periods of time. But that’s how the working world is evolving. The average American working a desk job sits still for up to 6 hours a day. And then often goes home and sits some more.

Landfill operators, wastewater technicians, parks maintenance crews – consider yourselves fortunate. The rest of us, it’s time to get up out of our chairs and move. We can counter the effects of sitting by being more active during the day and at home at night.

Here are some strategies for getting out of our chairs and off of the couch.

• Stretch at your desk – get the electrical impulses in those muscles firing.
• Take a lap around the office at regular intervals.
• Mute your speaker on a conference call and march in place.
• Have a walking meeting.
• Take the stairs.
• Put walking or stretching breaks on the agenda for longer meetings.

Tell us how you take the extra step and interrupt your sitting.