I read some interesting stats on sitting today that I thought Id share. Since many of us have a office job and spend 8 hours+ sitting in front of a computer screen, I thought youd like to know how dangerous that is, and a couple of my solutions.
It is true that during most of human history, we were on our feet, whether it was hunting, tending crops, or doing general labor. Nowadays, we are sitting on average of 9.3 hours a day. This is longer than we sleep. Our bodies werent built for such a sedentary lifestyle.
Sitting for 6 hours or more makes us 40% more likely to die in 15 years than someone who sits less than 3.
Sitting also makes us obese. Right now, one in three Americans are obese. Obese people tend to sit about 2.5 hours more than thin people. Between 1980 and 2000, average exercise hasn’t changed, however sitting has increased by 8%. In that time, obesity has doubled.
The moment you sit down, your body goes through some immediate changes. Electrical activity in the legs will totally shut down. Calorie burning in the body drops to just 1 calorie per minute and enzymes that break down fat drop by 90%. After 2 hours of sitting, good cholesterol will drop by 20%. After 24 hours of sitting, insulin drops by 24% and our risk of diabetes rises.
Those numbers can be startling. One of the solutions I found is using a stand up desk. Anthro has an awesome stand up desk that Ive had for over a year now. I can stand when I have energy and sit when I get tired. Not only have I lost weight, but I feel my energy levels have increased. Hopefully more of you will think twice about sitting all day, and stand up and move more often.