Why you should not sit for long hours in an office chair?

Human body is designed by nature to be mobile. We were born to move around, hunt, work at fields, rear cattles and grow crops. However gradually, with evolution, we no longer do tasks which we are built for. This applies to most of us. 

Assuming we spend 30 minutes for exercises every day and sleep for 8 hours, most of us spend close to 8-10 of our working  hours sitting! Current studies reveal this is as deadly as smoking cigarettes.

Plenty of studies now show human body metabolism slows down by about 1% with every minute we sit. Our muscles shut down, we no longer burn fat stores as effectively and we no longer produce good cholesterol. The results are increased plasma trigylcerides, decreased high density lipoprotein and decreased insulin sensitivity. These changes are so rapid and pronounced that even good exercise after prolonged duration of siting is not sufficient to reverse it. The results are obvious – increased risk of metabolic syndrome, large bottoms, increased risks of heart attack, stroke and overall lower life expectancy.

The following are some data established through clinical studies:

1. Sitting more than 6 hours a day increases heart disease risks by upto 64%.
2. Sitting more than 6 hours a day lowers life expectancy by 7 years.
3. Sitting more than 6 hours a day for 10 -20 years increases breast cancer and prostate cancer risks by upto 30%.
4. Sitting more than 6 hours makes you upto 40% likelier to die in the next 15 years when compared to some one who sits for less than 3 hours.
5. Sitting more than 2.5 hours a day every day is more than sufficient to make you obese.

Hence avoid siting at your desk for long hours. Make strong efforts to move around.