One of the things I’ve noticed that’s different in my life now than during my younger years is how much sitting I do. I sit on the computer much of the day for work, I sit when I do body work, I sit to rest after work, I sit for Netflix, I sit to eat, I sit with friends, I sit, sit, sit.
I’m guessing you can relate.
What’s becoming more and more clear is how much sitting is affecting our health. There are the more obvious effects on the spine, neck, shoulders, back, etc. We feel these and try to solve them with ergonomic office furniture, changing positions, taking ibuprofen, or propping ourselves with pillows. That works in the short term, but it doesn’t fix the fact that we are still sitting.
Now we’re learning that prolonged sitting can affect your heart health, blood sugar balance, vein and artery health, your weight, and might even increase your chance of cancer. I’m even seeing differences in abdominal health when I examine those who sit a lot compared with those who don’t. I recently did a Live video on the FLOURISH Integrative Medicine Facebook page to talk about what I find in the abdominal muscles and will do a demonstration of how to check yourself.
Start noticing how much you are sitting. Are you already taking breaks? Or, what else are you doing to keep your blood flowing and your blood vessels strong when you are forced to sit for work?
Then, start setting a timer. Work for 25 minutes and then get up and move around for 3 minutes. Repeat over and over again throughout your day. If you’re really motivated, you could write down any symptoms you’re experiencing today and then do a check-in at the end of the day every day next week to see if moving relieves any of your symptoms.
I would love to hear what you’re already doing to combat the effects of sitting, as well as if you experience any differences from forcing yourself to move every ½ hour.
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