Heart health is important for our overall well-being. Sitting for longer hours every day, including your off days, considering your moderate way of living like eating junk foods and oily foods, decreases your heart functions, increasing the chance of elevating your blood pressure, LDL cholesterol levels, and diabetes, which leads to strain on heart health.
In this article, we will give you brief ideas about long sitting hours, its impact on heart health, and many other conditions,etc. How to Minimize Your Risk of These Conditions.
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In this modern era, living a sedentary lifestyle is not good for overall well-being of human health. It may result in many diseases in the body as well as lead to death.
Recently, a report has suggested that sitting for more than 10 hours a day may lead to heart failure or even death. The people who are doing vigorous workouts throughout the week but still following the sedentary lifestyle are still at risk.
Know About the Risks of Longer Sitting
Prolonged sitting means sitting for a longer period without any movement from a single position. It may include long hours at a desk, watching TV, playing gaming on a computer, or sitting in one place. Sitting is not harmful, but when people sit for a longer period without any movement, then it starts creating health problems.
Increased Heart Risk After 10.6 Hours of Sitting Each Day
Researchers took data from around 90,000 participants with an average age of 62 from the UK Biobank. All participants had worn a triaxial accelerometer on their wrists for more than seven days to measure their movement. The study took place for 8 years, in which 5% of participants developed atrial fibrillation, about 2.1% had heart failure, 2% had heart attacks, and less than 1% died due to heart-related problems.
Over time, researchers found that atrial fibrillation and heart failure risk increased due to a sedentary lifestyle.
However, doing weekly exercise did not lower the sedentary way of life-related increased risk for heart failure and cardiovascular death.
Read More: Headache During Work Time: Reasons and Prevention
How Sitting Affects Heart Health
The connection between prolonged sitting and risk of heart disease is complex, having an effect on several physiological and biological balances that are disrupted by a sedentary lifestyle.
1. Reduced Blood Circulation
The topmost reason for prolonged sitting is poor posture leading to disturbance in blood flow in the body. While sitting for longer hours, blood goes to the lower extremities like legs, returning to the blood significantly decreases the blood flow impact on the cardiovascular system. Poor flow of blood in the cardiovascular system increases the risk of clot formation in arteries (atherosclerosis).
2. Decreased Metabolic Rate
Sitting for extended periods also decreases the metabolic rate of the body, especially in relation to fat metabolism. According to many researches, fat-burning activities decrease , and fat is accumulated particularly in the abdominal area, and insulin sensitivity becomes impaired. Which is a known risk factor for heart disease.
Fat cells, especially those located in the abdominal area, release substances that can trigger inflammation, obesity, and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems.
3. Increased Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Levels
Sitting for long periods may also contribute to an increase in blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels (it helps in the formation of plaque in arteries, leading to atherosclerosis), which is a key risk factor for heart disease.
4. Impaired Heart Function
Long-term sitting can negatively affect the heart's ability to function properly. Some research suggests that individuals who sit for longer periods with bad posture in a single place have a higher resting heart rate, which is a marker of reduced cardiovascular fitness. This means that the heart has to work harder to pump blood, potentially leading to increased wear and tear on the heart muscle over time. This is particularly concerning for individuals who already have preexisting heart conditions.
5. Increased Risk of Obesity
Sitting for long hours is associated with weight gain and obesity, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease. When we sit for prolonged periods, our energy expenditure decreases, leading to weight gain over time if not counteracted by physical activity. Obesity, particularly abdominal obesity, is associated with a higher risk of developing heart disease due to the strain it places on the cardiovascular system, as well as the metabolic disturbances it causes.
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The Impact of Sedentary Lifestyle on Cardiovascular Mortality
While the association between prolonged sitting and heart disease is clear, it is also important to consider the impact of sedentary lifestyle on overall lifespan. Studies have demonstrated that individuals who spend a large portion of their day sitting and do not have any physical activities and do not focus on diet, have a significantly higher risk of dying from cardiovascular-related causes.
Read More: Sleep: Why Everyone Needs a Good Night's Rest
How Much Sitting Time is Known as Longer Sitting?
There is no research evidence available about the longer sitting time, which can impact health. However, there are many ways to know how sedentary lifestyle, past medical health, and preexisting conditions provoking the risk of heart health. However, recent research generally suggests that sitting for more than 10 hours at a time without breaks increases the risk of cardiovascular problems.
The key factor is not necessarily the total time spent sitting during the day but rather how often you interrupt sedentary periods with physical activity. Taking regular breaks and incorporating movement into your day can significantly reduce the harmful effects of prolonged sitting.
Ways to Avoid Long Sitting Hours
- Take regular breaks: Get up from your desk every 30-60 minutes to stretch, move around, and refresh your mind.
- Use a standing desk: Consider a sit-stand workstation to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
- Schedule walking meetings: Instead of sitting in a conference room, schedule walking meetings with colleagues or friends.
- Take a walk during lunch: Use your lunch break to take a short walk outside, stretch, or do a few jumping jacks.
- Exercise during commercial breaks: While watching TV, get up and move around during commercial breaks to get some extra physical activity.
- Try chair yoga: Do some simple stretches and yoga poses while sitting in your chair to loosen up and stay active.
- Take the stairs: Instead of taking the elevator, opt for the stairs to get some extra physical activity and movement.
- Make a daily movement goal: Set a daily goal to move for a certain amount of time, such as 30 minutes, and find ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine.
Conclusion
Sitting for long hours can have serious effects on cardiovascular health, including an increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, and obesity. However, by adopting strategies to break up sitting time, incorporating more movement into daily routines, and prioritizing regular physical activity, individuals can significantly reduce the risks associated with prolonged sitting.
In an era where desk jobs, screen time, and sedentary leisure activities dominate, it is essential to prioritize our heart health by staying active and mindful of the time we spend sitting. With simple lifestyle adjustments and an awareness of the risks, we can protect ourselves from the silent dangers of prolonged sitting and improve our long-term cardiovascular health.