By Femi Paseda
A lot of jobs have us sitting from 9am to 5pm, which is an average of eight hours every day.
Most of us think the only consequence of such actions is your a** which hurts for only a couple of minutes. It’s far more than this. It might seem lovely sitting all day and not having to go through the rigors of a job that has you moving all the time, but there are more cons than pros.
Here are some of the things that sitting down all day does to your health.
Causes weight gain
When you move, your muscles process and use the glucose and fat in the body; however, when you sit down all day, this process is halted. According to a Healthline research, this leads to metabolic syndrome, which causes other health complications like high blood pressure and high blood sugar.
Heart disease
When you sit a lot, especially as a result of work, you are opening yourself up to the possibility of heart disease. Sitting reduces the production of lipoprotein lipase, which usually causes the body to use fat. Without the use of fat, it is stored in the body, and this can clog the arteries leading to heart complications.
Stiff neck and shoulders
When your job requires you to sit all day, it does not only affect your legs, your beautiful thighs, and of course back; it extends over to your neck and shoulders as well. Over time, you get to notice that the way your shoulders and neck move is quite different, and most attribute this to age. It’s not as a result of your age, but rather, your excessive seating. Do not compromise that sexy movement sitting all day long; try moving from time to time.
Weak legs
As ladies, we need our legs for a whole lot of things, from walking, to conception, carrying a baby, working, having fun etc. This is why you need to use your legs more often else you lose them. When you sit at work all day, you develop muscle atrophy making it difficult to walk properly. You are even more exposed to the possibility of injuries at the slightest.
Bad back
Just as it is with your legs, your back can likewise suffer from sitting excessively. When you sit without standing for long hours, your hip flexors are shortened, and this damages your back. When your sitting position or chair is bad, it speeds up the damage to your back, and this changes your posture. You suddenly start to crouch more than usual, and this is bad for your back.
Varicose veins
There is nothing more painful than wearing that short gown only for a varicose vein to be showing on the side. You might be confused about why this is happening, but it’s simply a result of sitting too much at work. Even though the varicose vein is not harmful, it can lead to more complications like blood clots which are relatively harmful.
Bottom Line
Whether you are a banker, a customer care representative, a freelance writer or an online marketer required to sit for long hours as a result of your job, the best thing you can do for yourself and your body is to move as often as possible. Take short breaks, walk, and move your body whenever you can. This will help you look and feel good without health complications you have to live with for a long time.
