I can't sit on my butt for a long time. Why is it harmful to sit for a long time?
Many, if not most, of us have sedentary jobs. If you are reading this now, then you are sitting on a chair more or less motionless. Half an hour, an hour, then it becomes uncomfortable, not comfortable. Even if you have a good expensive chair. But this post on the site today is not about chairs, but about why it is harmful for anyone to sit for a long time.
The first reason, which is also the main one, is stagnation of blood in the legs and pelvic area. Blood supplies the organs and muscles of our body with oxygen and nutrients for tissue growth and renewal. On the way back, the blood carries away accumulated toxins, work products, waste, in short. If there is even microscopic inflammation somewhere, the best way to cure it is to ensure good blood flow there.
What about a sitting person? Blood stagnation begins in the lower part of the body. She has difficulty breaking through the motionless, tight muscles. Your body starts to go numb and you feel uncomfortable. Organs stop receiving necessary substances. The consequences of this are prostatitis in men, and female diseases in women. Let's add hemorrhoids and a flat, ugly butt. Not fun.
When you are immobile, the body stores resources
Girls, think about your waist! If you sit a lot, you won’t find it on your body, and in the end you will have to look for it and torture your body with techniques. It would be funny if it weren't so sad! This also applies to men, of course, although to a lesser extent - they have their own sources of obesity.
In general, many things in life provoke the formation of excess weight. Modern food, drinks, . Therefore, you need to try to minimize all these factors in life.
Why shouldn't you sit for a long time? Posture distortion!
The spine is the conductor of your body's energy. He's like a pipe. And if this pipe is curved, has turns and “knots,” the energy begins to flow worse. You get tired faster, it becomes more difficult for you to enjoy life. Not to mention the fact that your back hurts, your lower back hurts, your muscles are tight. It's scary to move suddenly.
If you have to sit still for a long time, try to at least keep your back straight. Also, don't cross your legs. This point rather relates to the first point, but not the point. Crossed legs - complicated blood flow, we have already mentioned the consequences.
Need more reasons? OK.
Life passes you by if you sit for a long time. Here we are primarily talking about sitting at the computer or watching TV. "The soldier is sleeping - the service is underway." In our case, life goes on. The sun moves, the weather changes, something happens, and you are in contact. Take a break, go outside, take a breath of fresh air!
I hope you have received the answer to the question “why is it harmful to sit for a long time?” How can you make life easier for your body? Make yourself a rule - get up from your workplace every half hour for 1-2 minutes. And every two hours for 10-15 minutes. And not just get up, but actively move, warm up, jump,... Well, at least walk! By doing this you will provide your beloved body an invaluable service, and it will definitely thank you...
Avoid everything harmful, and good health to you!
“Ilya Muromets lay on the stove for 33 years... and got up to clear Rus' of enemies... But that’s a fairy tale... And after 33 years of sitting at the computer, you won’t get up at all,” they joke on the Internet about a seemingly simple question from teenager Artem Danelian “Why can’t you sit at the computer for a long time?”
Everyone knows that sitting for a long time (not only at the computer, but also while driving, for example) worsens blood circulation. In particular - in the pelvic area. The spine also suffers.
The eye muscles are constantly tense. As a result, visual acuity weakens.
Therefore it is necessary:
Keep a distance from the monitor of about 50-60 cm
Try to choose the right (comfortable) chairs and chairs
They’ll stretch out and see what’s going on outside the window, and eventually make some tea. In general, take a break.
We foresee that these short, simple, even banal tips had absolutely no effect on you. Perhaps you will be convinced by the stories below.
FROM HEMORRHOIDS TO PERSONAL LIFE
Avid gamers - gamers - spend the most time at the computer. One of them shared a story about the sad consequences of excessive computer use.
“I started playing at the age of 7, played until I was 18, sat at the computer every day for at least 3 hours, rested only for 2 months in the summer at sea.
There were significant successes in games on the world stage, but now I no longer play games and never will again, read below why:
1. Eyes, of course. So far in my entire life I have only seen one IT person whose vision has not deteriorated in any way; others have been wearing glasses for a long time.
2. Hemorrhoids, no matter how terrible it sounds...
The fact is that our entire butt is permeated with blood vessels (quite fragile), and if the blood is not dispersed, it stagnates there and blood clots form, which subsequently begin to bleed, hurt, etc.
I had an almost chronic condition, constant pain, etc., I even ended up in the hospital because of it.
3. Problems with bones and joints. I am being treated for osteochondrosis, it all started towards the end of my journey as a gamer, when my left hand began to go numb...
It's a terrible feeling, believe me. Also, posture suffers greatly.
4. Problems in personal life, etc. Gradually you will begin to move away from society, your social circle is the same nerds as you, you have never had a girlfriend, etc.
When you understand this, it becomes very sad. Add to this the problems with studying, and you get a pretty good mix of things and just a miserable life.
Bottom line: stop sitting at the computer for a long time, especially with games, it won’t do any good, I’ve tested it the hard way.
If your profession forces you to sit at a computer for a long time, then you need to do exercises for your eyes, back and butt at least every hour.
Now I'm working out in the gym, I have a girlfriend. And in general I feel like a human being.”
UNDER 15 YEARS OLD - NO NO!
An experienced system administrator also shared his advice.
“In addition to the health problems described in detail (by the way, please note that the eyes are most strained by toys: bright graphics and increased attention), there are a couple more problems that teachers are very well aware of these days.
1. If a person at the age of 5-10 sits down at a PC, then in 99% of cases he sits down to play. The computer is not perceived in any way other than as a toy.
I studied with such people (I started using a PC at the age of 16), they thought that they were AS. But in reality, they only knew how to play.
It is very, very difficult to teach and retrain such people; their psyche will no longer be broken at a technical school or university.
Practically, any IT work will be practically closed for such people. Hundreds of confirmations are now being issued from technical schools and universities: there is a lot of show-off, but zero sense.
2. If a person sits down at the age of 5-10 and still does NOT play, then by the age of 20-25 he has already managed to get fed up with programming and computers in general.
There should be an attempt to change the type of activity, and a drastic one at that. I saw this too.
According to my observations and the observations of my teaching friends, it is best not to give a PC to a child under 15 years of age.
And then he will figure out for himself whether he should play or do something useful. Don’t be afraid, all the “experience” of those who have been in prison since 5-10 years old will be made up for by a fifteen year old in 4-6 months.
Why waste your health? Well, if you’re really pushing it, then you can afford an hour a day: reading Wikipedia, some classes, quick typing skills - that’s not bad!
But it’s better to spend more time on the street, you’ll have enough time to get hemorrhoids.
A little more about health. 30 people entered the technical school with me. About half are bespectacled gamers.
29 people graduated, only 2 of them without glasses (including me, I don’t know why, but “one” is still there). 2-3 people continued to move in their specialty.
KILL THE ADDICT
By the way, if you think that the problems of a teenage gamer do not concern you, then you are mistaken. The only difference is that he was sitting in front of the computer playing computer games, and you were sitting at work.
In addition, you may not even realize that you have become addicted to the computer, like a smoker is addicted to nicotine.
Eyes are red, swollen, complaints of pain...
Spring conjunctivitis?
Unlimited Internet...
So, signs of addiction:
Worry if there is no access to a computer or the Internet
Constant desire to spend significant time in front of the computer
Neglect of other needs and responsibilities for the sake of one goal - sitting at the computer
Refusal of social activity in real life in favor of virtual
Feeling of emptiness, irritability, depression without access to a computer
Giving up other pleasures in life
If you agree that the above is true for you, then it’s time to change something.
By the way, sitting for a long time in front of a computer does not lead to changes in the blood - this is a myth to scare children.
Also, it’s not a matter of radiation, but of staying in one position for a long time with tension in the muscles and eyes.
Among young people, the biggest problem with sitting at a computer for a long time is mental - as described in the gamer’s story.
Use - but in moderation. And spend more time with your family, communicate more, do fitness, in short, live real life!
I’m sure that after reading the article, if you didn’t get up and walk around the office, you at least tried to stretch in your chair. Already good.
And remember: the computer also needs rest :).
If you don't feel like throwing your computer out the window after this, read on to learn how to clean it properly.
In the topic of movement, one of the most important issues is the problem of the harm of sitting. Sitting is harmful and sitting causes us serious harm and we can well say that “Sitting is the new smoking.” Leading experts agree: Sitting (more than 10 hours a day) actually causes more health problems than smoking. The health consequences occur equally for all people: all ages, both sexes, all races and countries. Note that sitting is much more harmful than standing or lying down.
In Britain, about 32% of the British population spend more than 10 hours a day sitting. Of these, 50% rarely leave their workplace and even have lunch at the office desk. It is noted that about half of office workers complain of pain in the lower spine.
Man is not made to sit on a chair.
The point of sitting is to give the body a break from movement and vertical position, which is a basic specific feature of the structure of our body, given to us by nature. Man is created to be on the move all day long: moving to work, moving at work, walking and feeding children, collecting food, hunting, etc. People who previously lived and worked in rural areas sat only for the purpose of short-term recreation. But today this figure has increased to an average of 13 hours a day, with 8 hours spent on sleep and only 3 hours left for movement (the real numbers in big cities are even lower). Sitting is harmful and sitting all day on the fifth point you destroy your health and strengthen.
Chairing has been a habit for the last 150 years.
Among the ancient Greeks, chairs were mainly the privilege of women and children. If you look closely at the drawings on ancient Greek vases, you will notice that they often depict women seated on elegant chairs. Men preferred to recline during leisurely conversations and feasts.For a long time, the chair remained a prestigious thing. For the ancient Romans, a chair or armchair was an indicator of how successful a person was. The important official did not part with his folding chair, lined with ivory. It was carried behind him by his obedient slave. Only particularly respected citizens sat on the low, richly decorated seat - the bisillium. And the head of the aristocratic family sat on a home throne made of marble, arranged like an imperial one. The ancient Romans ate, read, wrote, and received guests while lying down. The favorite furniture of men were simple couches - kline, borrowed from the same Greeks. The ancient Romans ate while sitting only during mourning.
In the East, before and now they used to sit on the floor. Even in prehistoric times, the Chinese created floor mats for sitting and, accordingly, wooden tables with low legs
The sitting position is unnatural.
Sitting is harmful, because sitting is an absolutely unnatural body position. We are not designed to sit. The human spine is not designed to sit for long periods of time. Overall, the fact that the human spine resembles the letter S serves us well. “What do you think, with a large load on C and S, which one will break faster? C,” says Krantz. However, when sitting, the natural S shape of the spine turns into a C, which almost locks the abdominal and back muscles that support the body. You slouch, and your oblique and lateral muscles weaken and become unable to support your body. When you stand, the load falls on your hips, knees, and ankles. When you sit, the entire load is transferred to the pelvis and spine, increasing pressure on the intervertebral discs. Magnetic resonance imaging shows that even the ideally correct sitting position causes serious pressure on the back.
1. Sitting is harmful, it increases the risk of developing many diseases
Sitting is very dangerous for your health because it significantly increases your risk of diabetes or cardiovascular disease. At the same time, know that no amount of physical exercise and training, as previously thought, will remove the harm from sitting for long periods of time. For every hour you sit watching TV or listening to a lecture, your life is shortened by 22 additional minutes. People who sat for 11 hours or more a day had a 40 percent greater risk. The power of stool extends far beyond obesity; if you sit too long, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease and early death are on your heels.Sitting is harmful and those who, for whatever reason, sit for more than 4 hours every day are more susceptible to chronic diseases than others. They can develop cardiovascular disease, hypertension and even cancer. Moreover, the risk of acquiring the disease increases with the number of hours spent in a chair.
Australian researchers have made a completely frightening conclusion, which sounds like a death sentence for a modern person, who often spends both working and free time at the computer. Those who sit more than 11 hours a day have a 40% higher risk of dying in the next three years compared to those who spend three times less time sitting.
We also note stagnation of blood and lymph, the risk of blood clots in predisposed people. Inactivity, which in 99% of cases accompanies long periods of sitting, causes stagnation of blood and fluids in the legs. It is even more harmful to sit with your legs crossed, as this further impedes blood flow. Women should be more attentive to this problem, because it causes, among other things, fatty thighs and cellulite. “sitting still syndrome”, or simply thrombosis. For men, sitting constantly is especially harmful and increases the risk of prostate diseases. Due to prolonged sitting and lack of movement, blood in the veins stagnates and because of this, there is a possibility of blood clots.
2. Comfortable chairs don't work.
Over the past 30 years, the swivel office chair industry has grown to a $3 billion industry, with more than 100 companies operating in the US market. The most popular office chair provides lumbar support. However, scientists do not share their enthusiasm. Aeron is too low, says Danish doctor A. S. Mandal. “I visited Herman Miller a few years ago and they get it. The chairs need to be higher so you can move. But while they have huge sales, they don’t want to change anything,” the doctor complains. A significant share of ideas about what a comfortable chair should look like comes from the furniture industry from the 1960-1970s, when numerous complaints from workers about back pain began to be received.The main cause of the problem was the lack of lumbar support. “However, lumbar support does not help the spine much,” says the expert. “There is no way out of this problem,” says Galen Krantz, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. “However, the idea of lumbar support is so ingrained in people’s perceptions of comfort that it is not connected to the actual experience of sitting in a chair. In a sense, we are locked inside the problem."
When we sit at the table, it seems that we are very comfortable and comfortable. Comfortable - with a curved back, with the palm of your hand on which your chin rests, your head bent over the keyboard. But if you sit like this for two hours and then get up, you will definitely feel how numb your arms, back and legs are.
Sitting is harmful, much more harmful than lying or standing. The entire time you were sitting like this, the pressure on your spine was 2 times more than when you stand and 8 times more than when you lie down.
3. A sedentary lifestyle is worse than immobility.
Sitting is much more harmful than just physical inactivity. So, lying and standing are much healthier than sitting. Recent research in various fields of epidemiology, molecular biology, biomechanics and psychology leads to an unexpected conclusion: sitting is a threat to public health. And it cannot be smoothed out with exercise. “People need to understand that good sitting mechanisms are completely different from walking or playing sports,” says Mark Hamilton, a microbiologist at the University of Missouri. — A too sedentary lifestyle is not the same as a lack of exercise. For the body these are two completely different things.”4. Standing is easier and healthier than sitting.
“If you do standing work, you use specialized muscles to maintain posture that never get tired,” says Hamilton. “They are unique in that the nervous system recruits them for low-intensity exercise, and they are rich in enzymes.” One enzyme, lipoprotein lipase, takes fats and cholesterol from the blood, burns fats for energy, converting "bad" LDL cholesterol into "good" HDL. When you sit, your muscles relax and enzyme activity drops by 90-95%. Within a few hours of sitting, the level of “healthy” cholesterol in the blood drops by 20%. Standing burns three times more calories than sitting. Muscle contractions, even those that occur while a person is standing still, trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars. However, after the body assumes a sitting position, the action of these mechanisms ceases.5. Increased stress levels.
Immobilization is the best way to simulate stress. Sitting causes a chronic increase in cortisol. And too much cortisol makes patients fat and depressed in a vicious cycle: the more stressed you are, the more cortisol your body produces. As a result of excess cortisol, you eat more, feel sadder and more frustrated, gain weight, and become sedentary. The cortisol system sabotages your muscles' response to movement stimuli, causing you to prefer sitting more. |
6. Sitting is a bad habit.
In the last few generations of people, millions of brains have become “sedentary”. Most people in the modern Western world are overworked. Just as the brain adapts to the chair, so does the whole society. Sitting is harmful, and if the majority of people become over-sitting, then the structure of the entire society gradually adapts to meet the new environmental conditions.Back in 2005, in an article in the journal Science, James Levine, an obesity specialist at the Mayo Clinic, determined why some people gain weight while eating the same diet and some do not. “We found that obese people have a natural tendency to be confined to a chair, and this habit persists even when such people try to lose weight,” the physician wrote. “What amazes me is that humans have evolved over 1.5 million years to gain the ability to walk and move around. And literally 150 years ago, 90% of all human activity was associated with agriculture. In a tiny space of time we became chair-bound."
If you sit for a long period, the brain becomes sedentary in structure and, ultimately, this is reflected in the way you think - a seated body also gives rise to a sedentary mind. But the good news is that if a person tied to a chair takes the first step: gets up and walks, then the brain, like the muscle, begins to adapt to the movement. The brain of a person who begins to sit less and walk more triggers new factors of neuroplasticity. Under these conditions, over a long period of time, the brain adapts to the newly acquired skill of its owner.
Because the brain is constantly adapting, it takes approximately three weeks for the necessary changes in the brain to occur. In threeweeks, a “chair-aholic” can become a “walker”. Remember that sitting is harmful and start looking at your chair with caution!
Various pathologies of the musculoskeletal system can manifest themselves in the form of pain syndromes, the starting point for which is sudden movement or prolonged static position of the body. Thus, in many patients with advanced osteochondrosis, tailbone hurts when you sit. In this case, the pain syndrome intensifies after the person gets to his feet. May be accompanied by symptoms such as numbness of the lower extremities, crawling and burning pain along the inner or outer side of the thigh. All these are signs of pinched nerve fiber from the so-called “cauda equina.” This pathology occurs in persons with lumbosacral osteochondrosis or intervertebral hernias in this department.
If your tailbone hurts when sitting, you should not ignore this symptom. After all, this may be the first sign of poor health of the spinal column. With a long course of destructive changes, nerve tissue may be pinched and stiffness of movements in the lower extremities may appear. The pelvic and abdominal organs may also be affected.
