Sitting Disease and How It Affects Your Heart

Whether you're working, commuting or simply lounging around the house, you probably 
spend a significant amount of time sitting. According to a survey conducted by Ergotron, 
the average American sits for 13 hours a day -- a figure that doesn't include sleeping. 
While there's nothing wrong with kicking back and relaxing on occasion, a sedentary 
lifestyle can wreak havoc on your heart, contributing to chronic disease and illness.

What Is the Sitting Disease?

The sitting disease is a catch-all term used to describe the negative ways in which a 
sedentary lifestyle affects your health. With the modern-day technological revolution, 
millions of people now sit for long periods of time while watching TV, playing video 
games or using social media. Unfortunately, this takes a toll on a person's health over 
time.

Metabolic syndrome, for instance, is often associated with a sedentary lifestyle. People 
who sit for long periods of time day after day are more likely to develop high blood 
pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol and excess body fat than their physically active 
counterparts. These conditions are collectively referred to as metabolic syndrome.

How Sitting Affects Your Heart

The amount of time you spend sitting plays an important role in your heart health. 
According to JustStand.org, 30 percent if heart disease cases are linked to sedentary 
lifestyles. When you spend most of the day sitting, it slows down the rate at which blood 
circulates throughout your body while increasing your risk of heart disease in the 
process. The heart is a muscle, and like all muscles, you must exercise it to keep it 
healthy and functional. When you sit all day, your heart weakens and isn't able to pump 
blood effectively.

When investigating the health effects of a sedentary lifestyle, U.K. researchers found 
that sitting increases the risk of cardiovascular events like heart attack and stroke by 
147 percent. Researchers also found that people who sat the most had higher rates of 
diabetes and early mortality from all causes.

What You Can Do

There are ways to protect yourself and your heart from the sitting disease, however. 
The American Heart Association (AHA) specifically recommends 150 minutes or more 
of moderate cardio exercise or 75 minutes or more of intense cardio exercise per week 
to promote a healthy heart. Whether you prefer jogging, cycling, swimming, rowing, 
climbing stairs or even dancing, engaging in cardio exercises on a regular basis will 
keep your heart healthy.

You should also limit the amount of time you spend in front of the computer or TV. It's 
easy to lose track of time when you're watching your favorite show. Therefore, you 
should break up your activities with bouts of exercise in between. Alternatively, consider 
standing and exercising while you watch TV.

Don't let a sedentary lifestyle increase your risk of chronic disease. Take the first steps 
today towards a healthier life.

