Your body is built for motion
With 360 joints and 700 muscles the human body is designed for movement. Sitting definitely feels good after a hike, a jog or a boot camp session and so it should but when we sit without regular breaks or exercise it can be damaging to our health in more ways than you might think.
Evidence is growing regarding the ill effects of prolonged sitting for both mind and body. In the video below Murat Dalkilinc explains exactly what happens to your body when you’re sitting for long periods of time. If nothing else it will convince you to start exercising more and perhaps using a standing desk at work in addition to regular breaks from sitting.
First and foremost, prolonged sitting facilitates curvature of the spine as you slouch, in time this will put strain on your spinal structures, ligaments, muscles and nerves which can result in pain. This position also puts pressure on the lungs and prevents us from getting maximal oxygen intake as we breathe which negatively affects concentration, so when you’re sitting, you’re probably focusing less than you would if you were moving around.
Ultimately, our bodies are built for motion, not being couch potatoes. There is a very simple solution to this problem………..Move more!! Why not make a conscious effort to take a 5minute break from sitting every hour to stretch your legs, maybe a standing meeting would work or taking the stairs where possible instead of the lift to reverse the ill effects of too much sitting.