Is sitting all day making you a sitting duck for serious health issues?
According to Harvard Health Publications, too much sitting has been linked to everything from osteoporosis to heart disease to diabetes.
So if you feel like you're wasting away in your chair all day, you probably are. It might be time to invest in a standing desk or make time for periodic walking breaks.
Here are 11 health issues linked to excessive sitting:
The Daily Mail noted that a study published in the British Medical Journal found that excessive sitting causes blood to pool in your legs, leading to dangerous blood clots.
University of Colorado at Denver human physiologist Audrey Bergouignan explained that sitting too much can mess with your insulin production, reports the Washington Post. This can put you at greater risk for diabetes.
Slowed brain function
Newcastle University professor of movement and metabolism Mike Trenell told the Daily Mail that without movement, muscles pump less fresh blood and oxygen through your brain.
PreventDisease.com explained that excessive sitting can lead to osteoporosis, citing a 2010 study published in The National Center for Biotechnology Information.
Aches and pains
Inactivity might be the cause of your sore back. The Financial Times reports that when you slump in your seat, you can strain your back muscles.
When you sit for too long, your soft discs between vertebrae become squashed, leading to inflexibility, according to a group of scientists interviewed by the Washington Post.
Mercola.com reported that women who sit for 10 more hours a day have a higher risk of heart disease, according to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Decreased hip mobility
Livestrong.com explains that sitting too much causes your hip muscles to shorten and tighten, limiting your range of motion.
Higher rates of cancer
Harvard Health Publications explained that separate studies have linked excessive sitting to higher rates of cancer and cancer-related deaths.