28 Life Altering Risks from Sitting too Long or too Much — According to the Experts

Posted on by Mischelle Sandowich

Sitting Too Long-2.jpg

As I began writing this post, I was sitting at my computer work station. About 15 minutes later I was standing at my “make-shift” standing desk. See what it looks like at the bottom of the post — and read on to find out why I had to stand up. It is not a pretty picture for your health if your job requires sitting at a desk for 4 hours or more.

What are the risks of sitting too much?

James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D. of the Mayo Clinic links long periods of sitting to these 11 health concerns [1]:

  1. obesity
  2. metabolic syndrome
  3. high blood pressure
  4. high blood sugar
  5. excess body fat around the waist
  6. abnormal cholesterol levels
  7. increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer
  8. increased risk of death from any cause
  9. increased risk of cardiovascular disease
  10. increased risk of angina
  11. increased risk of heart attack

In addition, Levine noted that adding a few trips to the gym a week (or other activity) did not offset the negative impact created by sitting too long. In other words, nothing solves the problem except decreasing the amount of hours you sit each day.

Dr. Mercola adds these 9 dangers to the risks of sitting too much [2]:

  1. insomnia
  2. arthritis
  3. cancer
  4. premature death
  5. obesity
  6. depression (especially in middle-aged women)
  7. reduced feelings of well-being
  8. psychological distress
  9. diminished happiness

Medical Daily warns of these 3 dangers associated with prolonged sitting [3]:

  1. weakened muscles
  2. impaired blood circulation
  3. increased anxiety

And finally, Live Science adds these five risks from too much sitting — which are specifically related to being diagnosed or dying from these types of cancer [4]:

  1. breast cancer
  2. colon cancer
  3. colorectal cancer
  4. endometrial cancer
  5. ovarian cancer

One of the best solutions to avoid the above risks is to use a standing desk. There are several models available on the market in all price ranges. Here are a few of note:

You can see why I found it necessary to make a way for a standing desk — immediately. Now my keyboard is resting on an old Lexmark printer that is stacked upon two copies of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance and Who’s Who In The Bible. My monitor is resting on Matthew Henry’s Commentary of the Whole Bible — which in turn is resting on the printer stand on my desk. My mouse pad is resting on a book that I am reviewing, which is resting on 14 copies of Wise Traditions, which are resting on a small flat chest. I hope I don’t have to use it forever: but it works today.

standing desk conversion

Sitting too much is clearly putting Americans at risk for all sorts of illnesses, conditions, and diseases. While a standing desk will help combat these detrimental effects — it will never provide your body with the exercise it needs to remain healthy. Our next post will discuss the physiology of exercise and why it is absolutely necessary for good health.

Next: 22 Benefits of Regular Moderate Exercise

Return to: Biblical Health Study 

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[1] http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/sitting/faq-20058005

[2] http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/07/prolonged-sitting-depression.aspx

[3] http://www.medicaldaily.com/constantly-sitting-down-being-sedentary-could-worsen-anxiety-and-mental-health-338952

[4] http://www.livescience.com/49518-sitting-cancer-heart-risk.html


Disclaimer:

Reformed Health exists so you can take control of your own health and be all that God has designed you to be. The information shared on Reformed Health is the sole opinion of the author and is not meant to diagnose or treat any illness. None or our claims have been evaluated by the FDA or any other government organization. We are not medical doctors, nor do we have any medical doctors on staff. If you are having a health emergency, please call 911, contact your doctor, or visit a local emergency room. Always consult your doctor before engaging in any new exercise regime.

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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.


Copyright:

© 2017 Mischelle Sandowich
All Rights Reserved

2 thoughts on “28 Life Altering Risks from Sitting too Long or too Much — According to the Experts”

  1. I have a stand/sit station at work provided to me because of recurring back problems. It is the BEST thing going and I note that more people in my organization are getting similar desks. At home I McGyver a standing desk with an ironing board and a a bunch of books for my laptop. It’s not perfect but it works for short intervals.

    1. So glad you are experiencing the benefits of a standing desk. I also love that you are McGyvering your desk at home like I do.

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