Guest blog: www.betterbrainblogspot.com
The average American sits more than 8 hours every single day.
There is a growing scientific support showing that the more time you spend
sitting, the shorter and less healthy you become. Excessive sitting, such as
driving to work, at a desk , on a computer or in front of the TV, significantly
impacts your brain health ,cardiovascular and metabolic function.
This raises your risk for heart attack, diabetes, arthritis,
insomnia and certain types of cancer—and
that's just the tip of the iceberg. Sitting for extended periods of time
without getting up increases your risk for premature death. This is especially
concerning given the fact that you may be vulnerable to these risks even if you
are a fit athlete who exercises regularly.
The problem is that science is also showing us that temporary
vigorous exercise cannot compensate for the damage incurred by prolonged daily
sitting It's becoming increasingly clear
that intermittent movement is critical for health and longevity, even more so
than a regular workout routine. In order to be healthy, you have to get up off
your behind—and
you have to do it often.
Not only is excessive sitting detrimental to your physical
health, but studies show it does nothing good for your mental health either. Just
like the rest of your body, your brain depends on strong blood flow, good
oxygenation, and optimal glucose metabolism to work properly. Walking, muscular
contractions and deep breathing exercises are necessary to pump the fluid
around the brain and spine for eliminating toxins and bringing fresh oxygen.
When you sit, your skeletal muscle fibers aren't contracting,
particularly the large muscles of your lower limbs. When this occurs, they
require less fuel, and the surplus glucose accumulates in your bloodstream and
contributes to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems.
An Australian study, published in the American Journal of
Preventative Medicine, set out to determine if prolonged sitting and lack of
exercise have an effect on depression. Researchers analyzed the habits of
nearly 9,000 women, ages 50 to 55, over several years' time.
Women who sat for more than seven hours a day were found to have
a 47 percent higher risk of depression than women who sat for four hours or
less per day.
Women who didn't participate in ANY physical activity had a 99
percent higher risk of developing depression than women who exercised. The
findings were crystal clear: excessive sitting and lack of exercise resulted in
an increase in depression symptoms among middle-aged women.4
Researchers concluded that increased physical activity could
alleviate existing depression symptoms and possibly even prevent future
symptoms. And reducing the amount of daily sitting time may relieve existing
symptoms of depression.
Sitting Increases
Psychological Distress, Decreases Feelings of Well-Being
Why does sitting have such a negative impact on mental health?
Psychology Today may have the answer: "Some of the
psychological effects of sitting may be rooted in what people tend to do while
in their chairs. They may stare at an electronic screen, rather than connecting
emotionally with others. They may watch mindless TV shows, rather than engaging
intellectually with the world. Or they may multitask ceaselessly—flitting between
work emails, personal texts, social media, and the Internet—rather than honing
their attention."
Spending excess time at your computer may lead to insomnia and
depression. A British study involving 25,000 people found that those working
long hours in front of computers complained of feeling depressed, anxious, and
reluctant to get up for work in the mornings. They found that working just five
hours per day in front of a computer screen is enough to produce depression and
insomnia.8
Sitting in Front of a
Computer is Bad for Your Child, Too!
It's already well established that insufficient physical activity
is significantly contributing to our childhood obesity epidemic. But if your
child spends a lot of time in front of an electronic screen, his or her mental
health may also be at risk. In one UK study, excessive screen time produced
negative effects on children's self-worth, self-esteem and level of
self-reported happiness.
The children who spent four hours or more computer gaming
reported lower levels of well-being than their peers who spent less time in
this activity. Children spending more time in front of computer screens also
experience more emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties.9
It is very difficult if not impossible to refrain from sitting
altogether, given today's lifestyle. However, the good news is that there are
some excellent strategies to help counter the effects of sitting—and they are not
that difficult to learn and incorporate into your daily routine. So don't take
this news sitting down!
Better Brain Tips
1) Make walking a priority for 30 minutes of continuos movement
daily.
2) Set a timer for 45 minutes to get up and move to circulate
blood ,lymph and cerebrospinal fluid
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