Long sitting at the computer consequences for a man. The problem of the modern generation

Physical exercise will not be able to protect the consequences seated image life if you sit for eight hours a day.

Is it worth reminding once again that inactive, sedentary image life is bad for health - you risk earning overweight, heart problems and even cancer. For example, last summer we wrote that a few hours of continuous sitting a day increases the chances of getting malignant tumor colon or tumor of the body of the uterus.

It would seem that the problem can be solved simply - if you have to spend a lot of time sitting (for example, at office work), then you can compensate for this with regular physical exercises. Moreover, in Lately information began to appear that in daily physical education it is not even necessary to adhere to a certain schedule, and that short-term, but heavy load equivalent to a long one, but weaker. So, two years ago, the staff of the Canadian University of Queens published a paper in which they proved that you can train a little every day, or a lot, but only on weekends - if total time training will be the same, then the benefits will be equal. And even earlier, already in 2006, researchers from McMaster University (Canada) reported that a three-minute exercise on a stationary bike, when 30 seconds of intense effort followed by 30 seconds of complete rest, is equivalent to a one and a half to two hour bike ride.

But is it really physical exercise can block negative consequences sedentary lifestyle? In the journal Annals of Internal Medicine an article appeared, the authors of which come to a rather disappointing conclusion: exercise can to some extent compensate for the lack of physical activity, but if you sit every day for a long time, there will still be health problems. Avirup Biswas ( Aviroop Biswas) from the University of Toronto (Canada), together with colleagues, analyzed dozens of studies on the effects of long-term sitting. In this case, we are talking not only about sedentary work in the office - it can be time spent driving a car or at home watching TV. When we stand or walk, entire muscle groups work intensively in our body, and their activity favorably affects the physiology. Sitting down, we turn off such muscles, and the longer we sit, whether on a chair, on a sofa, or in a driver's seat, the more physiological “negativity” accumulates in us.

The authors of the work once again had to make sure that a sedentary lifestyle correlates with the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, oncological diseases And premature death. However, if a person sat 4-5 hours a day, then regular exercise could eliminate Negative consequences such a lifestyle. If a person sat longer, up to 8 and even up to 12 hours a day, then health problems still arose, despite physical education. However, for those who did not yet do any exercises, the consequences were even more severe.

In other words, even if you work out every day after 8 hours of sedentary work in the gym, you will still be threatened by diabetes and heart troubles. There is only one way out: if possible, dilute the seat at the table with at least some activity. For example, getting up from your seat for one to three minutes every half hour, or in general, if possible, reduce sitting time to 2-3 hours a day. However, such recommendations are easy to implement when it comes to TV on the weekend; in the office, many, perhaps, would be glad to get up from their seats for a couple of minutes, but work does not order. So it remains to be hoped that doctors will be able to create some kind of smart furniture in which it will be possible to strain the necessary muscles without getting up.

The habit of spending for a long time in the restroom there are many people. However, not everyone thinks that it can be harmful to the body. Proctologists advise to abandon such "pastime" for the sake of maintaining intestinal health.

Why is it bad to sit on the toilet for a long time?

The act of defecation is a process that involves straining. It is based on the increase in pressure in abdominal cavity, which leads to a number of biological effects, for example, to a change in the state of the veins in the rectum.

A short rise in pressure is physiological process, the vessels of the organ are adapted to it. However, with a long stay in a state of straining on the veins, it turns out overload. If this process becomes a habit and persists for a long time, then vascular disorders. These include, including thrombosis of altered veins.

Many people say that when they stay in the toilet for a long time, they do not push, but "just read." However, these words are not always true. Our body reflexively reacts to the usual situation, and muscle tone still remains elevated, even if the patient does not independently stimulate this process.

What to do if the bowel movement is prolonged?

A bowel movement that lasts longer than the prescribed time cannot be considered normal. This condition is associated with a violation intestinal peristalsis. The patient is diagnosed, which can be provoked various factors. They are treated as obvious reasons(insufficient fluid intake, overeating), and some intestinal pathologies.

The danger of this condition lies in the fact that usually the patient does not pay attention to the symptom for a very long time. Many people do not attribute constipation to possible diseases digestive tract. It is easier for them to attribute this condition to dietary errors.

In what cases should you see a doctor?

prolonged lack of bowel movements;
permanent (chronic) constipation (see);
violation of the nature of the chair;
the appearance of pathological impurities in the feces - blood,

Many of us, if not most, have a sedentary job. If you are reading this right now, then you are sitting in 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 today on the site is not about chairs, but about why it is harmful for any person to sit for a long time.

The first reason, it is also the main one - 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 the accumulated toxins, products of work, waste, in short. If even microscopic inflammation is present somewhere, the best way to cure it is to provide good blood flow there.

What about the seated person? Blood stasis begins in the lower part of the body. It hardly breaks through the motionless, clamped muscles. The body begins to numb, you become uncomfortable. Organs stop receiving necessary substances. The consequences of this are prostatitis in men, female diseases in women. Let's add here hemorrhoids, a flat ugly ass. Not fun.

When you are motionless, the body stores resources

Girls, think about your waist! You will sit a lot, you will not find it on your body, in the end you will have to look for and torture your body with methods. 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, education provokes a lot of things in life. excess weight. Modern food, drinks, . Therefore, you need to try to minimize all these factors in life.

Why not sit still? Posture distortion!

The spine is the conductor of your body's energy. He is like a trumpet. And if this pipe is curved, has turns and "knots", the energy starts to flow worse. You get tired faster, it becomes more difficult for you to enjoy life. Not to mention the fact that the back hurts, the lower back hurts, the muscles are clamped. It's scary to move fast.

If you do have to sit still for a long time, at least try to keep your back straight. Also, don't cross your legs. This point is more related to the first point, but not the point. Crossed legs - a complicated movement of blood, we have already mentioned the consequences.

Need more reasons? OK.

Life passes you by if you sit too long. Here we are talking primarily about sitting at a computer or watching TV. "The soldier is sleeping - the service is on." In our case, life goes on. The sun is moving, the weather is changing, something is happening, and you are in contact. Get out, get outside, get some fresh air!

I hope you received the answer to the question “why it is harmful to sit for a long time”. How can you make life easier for your body? Make a rule for yourself - 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 render an invaluable service to your beloved body, and it will definitely thank you ...

Avoid all harmful, and good health to you!

If you are reading this article while sitting, by the middle of the text you will want to get up, and by the end you will want to do important step to more healthy lifestyle life.

If you are reading this article while sitting, you will want to get up by the middle of the text, and by the end you will want to take an important step towards a healthier lifestyle.

In recent decades, humanity has sat up. For example, in the USA, where it is especially honored to sit at work until late, they write about the average 10 hours spent in the office per day.

And an ordinary Briton, according to scientists spends 14 hours 39 minutes in a sitting position. In addition to directly working in the office (or working time at computers at home), an average of 2.5 hours a day is spent watching TV and sitting at a computer.

In general, we sit for about 75% of office time, and everything is aggravated by the fact that the periods of “staying” are mostly quite long - more than 30 minutes, which is very, very unhealthy.

The Science of Sitting: 8 Proven Consequences

In general, the first evidence that sitting for a long time is very unhealthy appeared relatively recently: in the 1950s.

Then British scientists compared data on coronary insufficiency bus drivers (they sit all the time) and conductors (they are constantly on their feet). Both professions in Britain attracted people of similar age and physical condition people and data were adjusted for sex and age, and this gave some semblance of objectivity of the analysis.

Scientists' conclusion: among conductors, the incidence of heart disease was markedly lower than among drivers.

1. Prolonged sitting leads to overweight

The conclusion of scientists is quite obvious: among people who work while sitting, cases of obesity are noticeably more common. It is estimated that over the past 50 years, since most jobs have become sedentary, in the US, the average American has been consuming 120-140 calories less per day.

2. Increased risk heart attack

A large-scale study covering more than 17 thousand people and lasting more than 13 years showed that Sedentary people are 54% more likely to die from a heart attack.

3. Increased risk of chronic disease

A study of more than 63,000 Australians found that men who sat more than 4 hours a day were significantly more likely to suffer from chronic diseases - in particular heart disease and diabetes - confirming both of the previous points.

4. Reduced life expectancy

Scientists examined data on television viewing on 11,000 people from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and found that people who sit in front of the TV for 6 or more hours a day, on average, live 4.8 years less than those who do not watch TV at all.

And another figure from the same study: every hour spent sitting in front of a blue screen after the age of 25 reduces life expectancy by 22 minutes.

5. Increased risk of dying from cancer

According to some data, people who spend a lot of time in a sitting position increase the risk of certain types of cancer by up to 66% compared to those who do not abuse sitting.

One study also reported that a sedentary lifestyle increased the risk of endometrial cancer by 32%, a 24% increase in the risk of colorectal cancer and a 21% increase in lung cancer.

Every extra 2 hours of sitting a day adds to the risk of getting colorectal cancer 8%.

6. Increased risk of kidney disease

In a 2012 study, scientists found a link between kidney disease and a sedentary lifestyle. For example, among women who spend less than 3 hours a day in a sitting position, the risk of chronic kidney disease is as much as 30% lower.

7. Sitting is bad for mental health

Women who continued to predominantly sit outside of work in a 2012 study reported mental health problems.

8. People with handicapped more common among sedentary people

The scientists who conducted the study found that every hour spent sitting, people aged 60 years and older was associated with 50% more likely become disabled.

Dr. James Levin in his book Get Up!: Why Your Chair is Killing You and What You Can Do About It” (“Get up! Why the chair is killing you and what you can do about it”) concludes that long sitting is even more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV. “We sit up to death,” he scares readers with conclusions based on scientific facts.

Can the risks of sitting be reduced by being physically active?

New York experts compiled the findings of scientists: it does not matter if you run every day or go to the gym regularly - it does not save you from the risks of long sitting. If you spend a lot of time sitting - at work in the office, in the car, on the couch, you take on increased risks cancer, heart disease, kidney disease and generally shorten your life.

Dr. Graham Colditz of the Washington University School of Medicine urges people to know that physical activity and long sitting are two different things:

“People don’t talk about long periods of sitting as much as they do gym workouts and jogging, and they should!”

How long can you sit?

People in general began to move rather little and stay longer. According to WHO, only 5% of people in the world fulfill the recommended minimum rate: study physical activity 5 times a week for at least 30 minutes.

And this is the minimum bar: in general, experts recommend gradually reducing the proportion of sitting and at least half of the working time in a certain activity: walking or just standing.

But even here you need to know the measure and not fall from one extreme to another. Experts also recommend not standing for more than 5 hours a day. Working standing for a long time causes joint pain, swelling, poor blood circulation and fatigue.

Sit, stand, or both?

Gavin Bradley, Head international group Active Working promotes reduced sitting time. Bradley himself has radically changed his approach to work, he starts his working day standing on a comfortable mat in front of a work computer. Every 30 minutes, according to the timer, Gavin changes position from standing to sitting and vice versa.

Some companies are motivating employees to walk more (and be healthier and more efficient) by placing water coolers farther away and even removing individual trash cans, encouraging them to walk to the centralized one.

Move more often on foot.
Do not rush to get on public transport.
Walk around the office to a colleague instead of calling him.
Conduct work meetings standing up.
Get up when talking on the phone.
Take a walk during your lunch break, eat lunch outside the office.
Use the stairs instead of the elevator and escalator.
Take breaks during work and do a simple workout.
Work at your computer while sitting/standing.

Work standing

Today, many advanced employers provide their employees with the opportunity equip a standing place for work .

In addition to getting rid of many potential problems with health Alternating between sitting and standing provides several other important benefits.

1. Incineration more calories

Standing burns about 35% more calories than sitting. And as you know from the law of energy balance, this is key factor for weight loss or weight maintenance.

3 hours of standing work during the day burns about 150 kcal (the exact figure depends on your personal characteristics).

So if you change your lifestyle and spend on your feet 3 hours during the working day, you can additionally burn about 4500 kcal per month- according to the law of energy balance, all other things being equal (if you continue to eat and spend calories the rest of the time) this will allow you to lose weight by about 0.6 kg per month.

In a year, you can burn up to 35,000 kcal - this is like running a marathon 10 times (that is, fulfilling the marathon norm almost every month), swimming the Bosphorus 39 times and climbing Elbrus 5 times.

2. Posture and muscle tone

UC Berkeley professor Galen Kranz writes that sitting - an absolutely unnatural position of the body. People are not adapted to long sitting by nature.

The spine is not designed to carry long time in a sitting position. S - shaped spine allows you to withstand high loads, and in the sitting position, the S turns into a C, which almost blocks the abdominal and back muscles that support the body.

A person stoops, the oblique and lateral abdominal muscles weaken and, without regular training, they no longer cope with supporting the body. When standing, the load on the back is halved, and the muscles of the legs and abs are in good shape.

When you sit, the entire load is transferred to the pelvis and spine, increasing pressure on intervertebral discs. MRI shows that even with correct posture(which succeeds rare people and not all the time) sitting puts a lot of pressure on your back.

3. Productivity

From the point of view of science, this issue is still controversial. Some experts and studies report a 15% increase in efficiency when standing.

And in a recent study by Texas A&M University, which lasted 6 months, they generally counted increase in the efficiency of call center employees by 46% when working at tables with height adjustment.

However, to be fair, there are also studies that have not found any increase in performance when standing.

Jack Callaghan, a professor at the University of Waterloo, analyzed 8 scientific sources on standing and productivity. He did not get unambiguous conclusions: 3 studies indicated an increase in productivity, another 3 did not find any effect, and one contained mixed results.

It is assumed that the effectiveness of standing is also related to the nature of the activity itself. The Latvian startup incubator Draugiem Group compared labor productivity in standing and sitting positions using the native DeskTime app. Productivity increased in simple tasks, where the main thing is "take it and do it." A standing person is more focused and less distracted.

4. Standing Solutions

In the same Ikea there is "Skarsta" - a table with adjustable table top height. Turn the handle and set the height you need - from 70 to 120 cm.

Skarst table

There are inexpensive solutions for working on the basis of the table you already have, for example, the domestic Surikatus. Samo workplace surprisingly easy to build: enough for 20 seconds, and if necessary - disassemble and carry away - it weighs less than 5 kg. The stand will fit on any table, and the height of the tabletop to suit your height is easy to adjust.

Surikatus is easy to customize by choosing comfortable position hands (There is a wide shelf for the mouse and keyboard, which gives support for the wrists). And what is no less important - when working with the rack, it remains correct position head (this is very important for the prevention of "text neck".

With "Surikatus" you can work on a laptop with a straight back both sitting and standing, thanks to a removable stand for sitting.

Stand "Surikatus"

How to set up your desk for standing work

Pay attention to the picture: the optimal height of the tabletop is the beginning of the biceps (with the arm lowered) or, more simply, the tabletop should be slightly below elbow level.

Pay attention to the angle of the monitor. If you are reading a book - then on the corner of the tabletop. Desk work also has a beneficial effect on vision, since a working angle of 15-17 ° is more effective for the eyes than a horizontal surface. This fact was verified and approved by the Research Institute of Eye Diseases. Helmholtz.

Stay healthy!

We are almost sure that if you got to these words, we convinced you of the need to switch to alternating between sitting and standing work. Don't delay, don't forget, and don't give up on this important information. Live healthier and prolong your life!published . If you have any questions on this topic, ask them to specialists and readers of our project .

The most common problems that a sedentary, inactive lifestyle can reward us with are spinal problems. Basically, the emphasis is on posture problems, pain in the shoulders, neck, back and headaches. But the bonuses don't end there.

This also includes problems with the lungs, heart and stomach. Do you want to know what happens to your body when you stay too long at work or on your favorite couch watching TV?

Head

Blood clots that form as a result of long, immobile sitting can travel through circulatory system and reach the brain, causing a stroke.

This can also include headaches caused by poor blood flow and problems with the neck and spine. Due to headaches, concentration worsens, vision problems may occur.

Fluid that is retained in your legs from a day of sitting moves into your neck when you exercise. horizontal position i.e. go to bed. And can cause obstructive sleep apnea - sudden stop breathing.

Previously, problems with sleep apnea were associated with obesity, but according to medical data, about 60% of people suffering from this syndrome were not overweight. According to latest study, conducted by Canadian scientists, it turned out that in people who spend almost their entire working day sitting, fluid accumulates in their legs, which then moves to the neck when a person assumes a horizontal position (that is, sleeps). This fluid is the cause of nighttime breathing problems.

Heart

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to cardiovascular diseases. In people who suffer from heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea fluid builds up in the lungs and neck at night.

Lungs

In people suffering from heart failure and other heart problems, fluid can build up in the lungs, leading to breathing problems. You can also add pulmonary embolism here. The problem is even more annoying than its name.

Stomach

A sedentary and sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity and problems with gastrointestinal tract(up to colon cancer). Enzymes that are responsible for muscle function blood vessels, which, in turn, are responsible for burning fat, are turned off. And the way metabolism is regulated, by which the body burns its fuel (especially glucose and lipids), goes astray.

As a result, your butt takes the shape and size of your desk chair.

Here you can add constipation, hemorrhoids and "other joys of life."

Legs

As mentioned above, during prolonged sitting fluid accumulates in the legs, which leads to swelling. Another problem is varicose veins veins.