New Research Shows Surprising Dangers of Sitting!

I just finished reading a VERY interesting article from the British Journal of Sports Medicine that discusses how detrimental sitting is to our health.

Of course we already know that failing to exercise is not good for us — that’s a no-brainer. But this article (technically a press release) specifically talks about the (shocking) difference in how our body responds to sitting as opposed to simply standing and/or moving around a bit.

Recent research is consistently showing that even the most minor of movements can do wonders for preventing the physiological decline that we suffer when sitting — whether at your desk, in your car, or at home watching TV. It seems that even minor, unstrenous movement help us stay healthy by preventing a serious decline our body’s ability to properly utilize glucose among other things.

To me, the really surprising thing about this article, and the studies that it cites, is that sitting is physiologically way worse than simply not exercising. In fact, one hour of sitting in a practically ‘undo’ 30 minutes of exercise. Or to say it another way, one hour of sitting is as detrimental as 30 minutes of exercise is beneficial.

Here are four interesting points quoted from the article:

1. Sitting and limiting non-exercise
   activity may independently increase
   the disease risk.
2. Sedentary behaviour is a distinct class
   of behaviour with specific determinants
   and effects on disease risk,
   separate from the behaviour of leisure-time
   exercise.
3. The molecular and physiological
   responses in the human body of too
   much sitting are not always the same
   as the responses that follow a bout of
   additional physical exercise.
4. People already insufficiently physically
   active will increase their risk even

So, what should we do with this information? Well, here’s what I’m going to do… for starters, I’m going to do some very light isometric contractions every few minutes while seated at my desk (like I am now). Likewise, I’m going to make a conscious effort to at least stand up and move around a little bit for about a minute or two every half-hour that I’m seated. On top of that, two or three times per day I’m going to do just a couple of very light exercises right here in my office. For example, I may do 15 push-ups, 15 crunches, and 15 bodyweight squats.

Dr Clay’s Simple Anti-Sitting Routine

• Light Isometric Contractions (every few minutes)
• Stand Up / Move Around (every half-hour seated)
• Light Exercise (2-3 times per day)

I know from experience that I will feel much better and more energetic by doing that. So even if being more alert and focused was the only benefit, it would be well worth it.

Okay, my friend, I’ve gotta run. I’m going to take a short lunch break and run to Play It Again Sports and/or Wal-Mart to see about getting a pair of 15 or 20 pound dumbbells to enhance my new “office workouts.”

Till next time… train hard, train smart, and expect success!  Oh, and get up and move around!

Dr Clay

Note: here’s a link to the full article about the detrimental effects of sitting.