A majority of Americans have careers that keep them confined to a chair for most of their working day. Add on a commute spent in the car or on a bus and a post-work relaxation period spent on the couch, and the amount of time people spend sitting starts to take up most of their day. Unfortunately, this is not good news for America’s health. As it turns out, sitting for extended periods of time can lead to a host of ailments.
Recent studies have shown that those who sit more than not are more likely to experience a higher rate of obesity, show more signs of mental decline, and develop type 2 diabetes. Sitting for much of the day can even lead to an increase in severity of menopausal symptoms among women. This is harsh news when modern life gives people so little room to stand, but there are ways to decrease the amount of time spent sitting—and increase health and wellbeing in a major way.
