What happens if you sit too much

Even if you exercise but spend a large amount of time sitting, you are still risking health problems, such as metabolic syndrome. The latest research suggests you need 60—75 minutes per day of moderate-intensity activity to combat the dangers of excessive sitting.

Just like your legs and gluteals, your hips and back will not support you as well if you sit for long periods. Sitting causes your hip flexor muscles to shorten, which can lead to problems with your hip joints. Poor posture may also cause poor spine health such as compression in the discs in your spine, leading to premature degeneration, which can be very painful. This might be because people who spend a lot of time sitting are missing the positive effects of physical activity and fitness.

If so, getting up and moving may help. Emerging studies suggest the dangers of sitting include increasing your chances of developing some types of cancer, including lung , uterine , and colon cancers.

The reason behind this is not yet known. Sitting for long periods has been linked to heart disease. One study found that men who watch more than 23 hours of television a week have a 64 per cent higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than men who only watch 11 hours of television a week. Some experts say that people who are inactive and sit for long periods have a per cent higher risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

Studies have shown that even five days lying in bed can lead to increased insulin resistance in your body this will cause your blood sugars to increase above what is healthy. Research suggests that people who spend more time sitting have a per cent higher risk of diabetes. Sitting for long periods can lead to varicose veins or spider veins a smaller version of varicose veins.

This is because sitting causes blood to pool in your legs. In rare cases, they can lead to blood clots, which can cause serious problems see deep vein thrombosis, below. Sitting for too long can cause deep vein thrombosis DVT , for example on a long plane or car trip. A deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in the veins of your leg.

DVT is a serious problem, because if part of a blood clot in the leg vein breaks off and travels, it can cut off the blood flow to other parts of the body, including your lungs, which can cause a pulmonary embolism. This is a medical emergency that can lead to major complications or even death. If you spend your time hunched over a computer keyboard, this can lead to pain and stiffness in your neck and shoulders.

It is the fourth leading cause of death due to non-communicable diseases. In fact, physical inactivity is the second highest cause of cancer in Australia, behind tobacco smoking. The Australian Health Survey found that toddlers and pre-schoolers aged 2—4 years spent an average of six hours a day doing some form of physical activity, and one and a half hours having some form of screen time. These numbers changed dramatically when the survey looked at children and young people aged 5—17 years.

They spend just one and a half hours a day doing physical activities, and over two hours each day on screen time.

Subscriber Account active since. Despite the growing availability of ergonomic products and workplace offerings like flexible gym hours, scientists believe many desk jockeys will have already done lasting damage to their bodies as a result of sitting down all day. Low energy expenditure Role of Low Energy Expenditure and Sitting in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Disease Sitting at your desk for too long reduces your non-exercise activity thermogenesis is generally a much greater component of total energy expenditure than exercise.

Slower metabolism Sitting Time and All-Cause Mortality Risk in Australian Adults The decreased muscle contractions that occurs with prolonged, immobile sitting slows the clearance of fat from the blood stream and decreases the effect of insulin. Compromised posture Sitting bio-mechanics Sitting causes the pelvis to rotate backward and puts pressure on the lumbar discs. This position forces the head forward and cause the shoulders to curve to compensate for the weight transfer. Back and spine injuries The biomechanics of low back injury: Implications on current practice in industry and the clinic Prolonged, static loading of tissues over time puts undue pressure on the low back and stress the surrounding muscles and joints.

Reduced social skills Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? Interaction limited to communication over the internet is associated causes a decline in social involvement and psychological well-being.

Loneliness or depression Internet paradox: A social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? This lack of sunshine can cause person to become deficient in vitamin D and ultimately lead to depression.

Chronic Pain Ergonomics of posture—Review of various problems of standing and sitting posture Inadequate sitting postures, associated with long periods of sitting at a desk, provoke excessive increases of lower back pressure. These somatic pains can become the symptoms of chronic diseases. We know how important making choices about your overall health is, and we strive to provide you with the best information possible. Scientists have long established that moving more and exercising come with an untold number of health benefits, which include everything from lowering your risk of disease and early death to greater flexibility, burning more fat , and even enhancing your imagination and creativity.

But if you're living a sedentary lifestyle and sitting too much, there are several ways in which you're putting your body in harm's way in both the short and long run. To learn exactly what happens to your body when you lead an inactive life, read on for the most notable side effects of sitting too much. A study published in the journal BMC Public Health concluded that those with "low energy levels" attributed to sitting for too long are at a much greater risk of developing anxiety.

The researchers suggest that anxiety and sedentary behavior are linked because of poor sleep, "poor metabolic health," and social isolation.

If you're suffering from the effects of anxiety or depression, make sure you're aware of The 17 Foods That Make Anxiety or Depression Worse.

According to UCLA Health , sitting for long periods is a one-way street to developing back pain, which is largely caused by more stress on your back, neck, arms, and legs.

Additionally, sitting in a slouched position can overstretch the spinal ligaments and strain the spinal discs.