If you are reading this while sitting in your office doing your desk job or while relaxing at home, beware because sitting for long hours might shorten your life span.
Desk jobs are awfully tiring not only because of the pile of paper works but also you got yourself sitting all day with an uncomfortable work space. This may cause back pains and worse, an increase in health risk.
Back pains caused by sitting for long hours
It might be a shock for others but sitting, in your office or at home, can be dangerous too as much as going outdoors especially if you are just sitting for a whole day.
According to an article released by Healthline, sitting too long is not healthy. Bad posture, slouching, and other bad habits may be a suspect for having back pain.
The article also said that not all back pains and what you are experiencing are the same as other people’s back pain. So, let’s find out which of these you might be experiencing.
Bad posture – Every people have their own way of sitting which where they think are “comfortable.” However, turning into our favorite sitting position may have bad consequences and may lead us to back pain. So, let get that posture straight and this may even aid your back pain.
Sciatica – This pain is described as a dull aching sensation with a feeling of an electric shock. It can be worsened by sitting for longer hours. This pain is felt on the base of your spine. It is usually felt on one side of the body.
Herniated Disc – When you experience this kind of pain, you have injured some of your muscles and tissue. This is caused by carrying weights in an improper way. Aside from your back, this is also experienced in some areas like the chest, abdomen, and even upper thighs.
Muscle Strain – It is also known as lumbar strain. This is caused by too much stretched on your back. The pain from muscle strain is felt from your back until your buttocks but not in your legs.
Not being in shape – This can be a cause of back pain when core muscles, including back, hips, abdomen, and buttocks, cannot support your back. That is why the pressure may turn to your back and cause pain. It is important that we need to keep a healthy lifestyle to decrease further health risks.
Other Medical Conditions – The pain you may be experiencing on your back may not be caused by external forces. The problem can be rooted in internal factors such as bone diseases (like spinal stenosis and osteoporosis), kidney stones, gallbladder issues or worse tumor problems.
Among these problems causing your back pains, it is better to seek medical advice to identify accurately what is causing your pain. It can also give better medication to aid your pain.
Sedentary lifestyle entails Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Dementia
Sitting is a normal position done my human beings when socializing, resting, and mostly working. However, doing so much sitting entails health risks and may shorten your lifespan.
If you are too much enjoying watching television or scrolling on your phone all day, you may have a higher risk of heart diseases, diabetes, and dementia.
According to an article posted by Harvard Health Publishing (Too much sitting linked to heart disease, diabetes, premature death), sitting consumes more than half a person waking time by watching television, working at a computer, commuting, or doing other physically inactive pursuits.
For people who sit long hours with little to no exercise a day, the article claimed people getting a higher risk of getting cardiovascular diseases and type 2 Diabetes. Some studies also claimed that there is a correlation between more sitting hours and a higher risk of getting dementia.
The article, though, does not cite exactly how prolonged sitting contributes to health risk. This, however, suggests that sedentary behavior links to slower metabolism that increases sugar and fat contents in the blood which increased the risk of having diabetes and heart diseases.
‘Prevention is better than cure’
So, before your backpain comes to worst and get some serious illness, we will help you improve your lifestyle by following these tips.
Make the necessary adjustments – Since most of your time spent in your office, make yourself comfortable. It is not your fault if your workplace makes you uncomfortable not only to work properly but also to benefit you physically.
Ergonomic office chair – If you happen to have some old office chair that makes you uncomfortable, ask your boss to give you a more comfortable one. It only does not make perform well but also benefits your back to prevent having pain. If they did not grant your request, reward yourself and buy a new one.
Don’t sit in the same position for hours – It will be a burden for you if you don’t move around your body especially your back. It is good that you are not only exercising your brain but also your body to prevent health risks mention earlier. Walk around your office every now and then to have better blood circulation and using your carbohydrates for a good cause. It is also good for your bones and muscles to be stretched.
Our body is designed to move. It may seem that we took our body for granted and not giving too much attention to it. But if we put an effort little by little, we may improve our lifestyle and live a healthy and longer.
You may also want read: A Beginner’s Body weight Workout: Burn Fat, Build Muscles
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