Sitting...Is It the Bane of Our Health?

The human body was meant to move. It has evolved for millions of years to do just that. And the price we are paying for taking that away from it is almost immeasurable. According to James Levine, M. D., Ph.D., of the Mayo Clinic, "As human beings, we evolved to stand upright. For thousands of generations, our environment demanded nearly constant physical activity." The issues we are facing as a result of sitting too much go beyond back pain, although that is one significant result of too little movement.

According to a poll by the Institute for Medicine and Public Health, the average American spends 56 hours a week on their rears. This includes time on the computer, watching television and sitting behind the wheel of a car. The effect on the spine is profound because the postural muscles are not turned on and forget how to create quality and efficient movement while your hip muscles become inflexible and pull you out of alignment. Beyond the effects on the skeleton, our bodies take a metabolic toll that results in decreased fat utilization as well as poor blood sugar regulation. As if this wasn't enough, researchers have also found that extended periods of sitting are associated with an increase in susceptibility to depression. While regular bouts of exercise are good for our bodies, it may not be enough to undue the detriments of a habit of prolonged sitting. A growing body of research is being presented that supports this need for an increase in the frequency of movement. Among them is a study conducted at the Cancer Prevention Research Centre at the University of Queensland in Australia. The study found that individuals who sat less had smaller waistlines, lower body mass indexes and healthier blood lipid profiles and blood sugar levels. This was independent of the moderate to vigorous exercise bouts performed by the participants.

The take home from all this research is that our bodies thrive on constant movement...not occasional movement. Our musculoskeletal system can maintain healthy patterns of motion if we are constantly performing the activities that coordinate how we move through our daily routine. Furthermore, it charges up the metabolic functions necessary to sustain healthy systemic functions when we are dynamic. The enclosed energy system of our bodies asks us to "use it or lose it". Don't give up your exercise bouts, just make it a habit of moving more throughout the day. Don't go longer than an hour at a time sitting. Stand up to read e-mails, stroll to your co-workers cubicle rather than sending an e-mail, walk to the local store and make the tv quieter during your day. Your lifespan may very well depend on it!