The Frightening Reality of Sitting Statistics & Facts Of 2024 📈

Humans are designed to be upright. That makes your heart & cardiovascular system perform more efficiently. When you’re standing, your bowels work more efficiently. Individuals who are bedridden in hospitals frequently have problems with their bowel movements.

Physical activity, on the other hand, improves general energy levels and endurance while maintaining bone strength.

Image credits: Pexels

1. Gluteals and legs (bum muscles)

Sitting for an extended period of time can cause the major leg & gluteal muscles to atrophy and waste away. These muscles help you walk and maintain your balance.

When these muscles are weak, you are more prone to injuries from falls and strains when exercising.

2. Weight

Moving your muscles aids in the digestion of fats and sugars. Because digestion is less efficient when you spend more time sitting, you keep those sugars and fats stored as fat in your body.

Even if you exercise, if you spend too much time sitting, you run the risk of developing health conditions like metabolic syndrome.

According to new research, you need 60–75 minutes of moderate-intensity activity every day to counteract the risks of excessive sitting.

3. Back and hips

Your hips and back, like your legs & gluteals, would not sustain you as well if you sit for extended periods of time. Your hip flexor muscles shorten as you sit, which might cause difficulties with your hip joints.

Sitting for lengthy periods of time can create back problems, especially if you have bad posture or don’t use an ergonomically constructed chair or desk.

Poor posture can also lead to poor spine health, such as disc compression and early degeneration, which can be extremely painful.

4. Depression and anxiety

We don’t know as much about the links between sitting & mental health as we do about the connections between sitting & physical health, but we do know that people who sit a lot have a higher risk of anxiety and depression.

This could be because those who spend more time sitting miss out on the benefits of exercise and fitness. If this is the case, standing up and moving can help.

5. Cancer

Sitting too much, according to new research, raises your risk of cancers such as uterine, colon, and lung cancers. The reason behind this is yet unknown.

6. Heart problems

Long periods of sitting have been associated with cardiovascular disease. Those who consume over 23 hours of tv each week have a 64% greater chance of dying from heart disease versus men who watch only 11 hours per week, according to one study.

According to some specialists, those who are sedentary and sit for lengthy periods of time have a 147% increased chance of having a stroke or heart attack.

According to diabetes studies, even five days in bed might raise insulin resistance in the body (this will make your blood sugars rise above what is healthy). Individuals who spend more hours sitting have a 112 percent higher risk of diabetes, according to research.

7. Veins varicose

Long periods of sitting might cause varicose or spider veins (a minor version of varicose veins). This is due to the fact that being seated causes blood to collect in the legs.

Varicose veins are rarely life-threatening. They can create blood clots in rare circumstances, which might cause major issues.

8. Thrombosis of the deep veins

Sitting for too long, such as on a long aircraft or car trip, can induce deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A blood clot in the veins of your leg is known as a deep vein thrombosis.

DVT is a major issue because if a blood clot in the leg vein bursts off & travels, it can cut off blood flow to other areas of the body, including the lungs, resulting in pulmonary embolism. This is a life-threatening emergency that could result in serious consequences or even death.

9. Neck and shoulder pain

Spending too much time slumped over a desktop keyboard can cause neck and shoulder pain and stiffness.

Despite the fact that our bodies are built to move, most humans spend the maximum amount of time sitting. The facts below highlight the consequences of sitting and serve as a wake-up cry to stand up and move!