How long do you sit every day? If you, like the average British person, sit for 8.9 hours a day then all that sitting may be taking its toll on your health.
As chiropractors in our busy clinic in Fareham it is all too common for us to treat patients who are suffering back pain and other conditions which have arisen as a result of their sedentary lifestyle.
There is a growing body of research that shows that sitting for prolonged periods of time can lead to an increased risk of various health problems which include:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cancer
- Back pain
- Dementia
- Depression
- Muscle degeneration
According to research sitting for prolonged periods leads to the body:
- Shutting down enzymes responsible for burning harmful blood fats
- Reducing calorie burning (metabolic rate)
- Disrupting blood sugar levels
- Increasing insulin and blood pressure levels
- Switching off leg muscles
If you are not sure how long you spend sitting each day you may want to use a calculator that is on the Get Britain Standing website. It allows you to enter how long you spend sitting when eating, commuting, working and relaxing and estimates how long you spend sitting daily.
You may be shocked at the results!
If you are sitting for prolonged periods then the answer is to move more. Some simple suggestions to help you move more include to:
- Stand up and move around at least every 30 minutes
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
- Park a little further from the shops
- Get of the bus or train a few stops early
- Stand up when your on the phone
- Eat your lunch away from your desk
- Take a walk at lunchtime
Every year Get Britain Standing hold a national awareness day to encourage workers across Britain to participate in fun and simple activities to get them standing up and moving more. This year the campaign ‘Wiggle It Waggle It Just Don’t Sit On It‘ is on Friday April 27th.
If you are experiencing back pain it may well be as a result of your lifestyle. Please get in touch with us as our chiropractors at Homewood Chiropractic offer a lot of help and advice to get you back to tip top condition as soon as possible. You can contact us on 01329 280 283 or email us at frontdesk@homewoodchiropractic.co.uk
Our Experience Counts: 55 Years in Fareham
Serving the people of Fareham, and surrounding areas of Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and the local areas of Whiteley, Hedge End, Locks Heath & Portchester
