Sitting while working is par for the course at this point. The majority of people who spend a nice chunk of time on their computers for work, school, or fun, spend this time sitting down.
This being said, extended sitting—at a desk, in front of a screen, or behind the wheel—can have long-lasting and serious health repercussions. Thirteen different studies have found that those who sit for eight or more hours a day have the same risk of death as those who are obese or who smoke have. The following will explore the dangers of sitting while working on your laptop as well as a few of the easier solutions to this problem.
What Happens When You Sit
Right after you take a seat, the electrical activity in your muscles begins to slow down. Your calorie-burning speed drops to roughly on calorie burned each minute (for your reference, this is about one third the rate of calorie use when walking). This means that excessive sitting can also contribute to unwanted weight gain. Furthermore, if you sit for an entire 24 hours, you can experience up to a 40 percent decrease in glucose uptake in insulin. This in turn can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.
Long-Term Sitting
After just two weeks of sitting for six or more hours per day, long-term effects are beginning to take place. Your body increases plasma triglycerides (fatty molecules), insulin resistance, and LDL cholesterol (this is the bad type of cholesterol). What this means is that your muscles are not absorbing fat and your levels of blood sugar are skyrocketing—both of these things put you at risk for unwanted weight gain. Beyond this, your muscles begin to atrophy, and the maximum oxygen you consume plummets. This makes it way harder to climb stairs and walk. The effects are only multiplied over years of sitting.
Try Out A Standing Desk
The popularity of standing desks is on the rise, and for good reason. Beyond limiting the negative health implications of sitting all day, those who use standing desks cite increased productivity and boosts in creativity. There are countless different desks available on the market to help you with this. Finding the best standing desk for you and your situation is relatively easy, especially with all the online reviews that are not available. Some studies have even found that children, boys, in particular, learn better while standing up. There might be an entire cultural shift going on when it comes to standing while working.
Take A Break Every Thirty Minutes
This is an easy one to employ. You can set a timer or keep an eye on the clock and make sure that you stand up every half of an hour or so. You can improve the benefits of this by stretching a little bit before you sit back down. This will help keep your blood flowing and, therefore, oxygen traveling throughout your body. It is important to note that this is not going to completely eradicate the negative repercussions of sitting, but it can help drastically minimize them.
With the above information, you’re well on your way to better handling your time in front of a laptop. With a little focus and effort, you can protect your health for years to come. As with all health information available online, it’s important to remember that everyone’s body is different. If you have health concerns it is always best to speak to a healthcare professional.
