Author: David BenEliyahu, DC

 

Did you know that on average, adults sit for more than 9 hours per day, and that school children spend over half their day sitting. Too much sitting can sap your energy, make your joints stiff, adversely affect your overall health, and contribute to chronic neck and back pain.

There is strong research evidence that a sedentary lifestyle, such as too much sitting, is linked to chronic back pain, and mental health disorders. Sitting has been referred to as the ‘new smoking’ because it has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity. In addition, studies have shown that people with sedentary lifestyles are more likely to develop back and neck pain as well as mental health issues.

The current Covid19 pandemic has contributed to an increased amount of sitting, with a significant number of people working from home, being quarantined, transition to online education for children and college students, and simply most people just staying home.
The USDOH guidelines for physical activity recommend that all Americans get 150 minutes per week of physical activity ( school aged children should be getting 180 minutes).

Tips to Increase Activity :

• Try to walk every day for at least 15 minutes. When you take lunch, include time to take a brief walk
• At work…get up every 30 minutes to stretch, walk down the hallway, instead of calling your co-worker in an adjacent office, go their office to talk to them
• When parking, resist trying to find the closest spot, park farther away and take. More steps
• Use a step counter or your smart phone to count and track your daily steps.
• Other forms of good exercise options include cycling, swimming, Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, and using an elliptical machine
• Be aware of how long your sitting and plan to reduce the time accordingly
• Use a standing desk and an ergonomic chair.
• Raise your computer monitor to eye level to improve your seated posture
• While sitting place a rolled towel behind your back and a stool under your feet
• Take the stairs, not the elevator whenever possible
• Limit your time on social media and tv- take breaks- take a walk
• Remember to start slowly and build up to the recommended guidelines.