There have been countless studies performed to examine the correlation between sitting down and long-term health. Naturally, one would assume sitting down is a natural position that won't have residual effects on the body. However with new evidence becoming buoyant, researchers have concluded sitting down for 3+ hours each day can take away up to two years of your life. That is not a typo; sitting down for extended periods each day can shorten your life. So what is the reason for this and what can you do to change the habit? Well, the answers are not as simple as you may think.
There are a number of reasons people sit each and every day; driving a car, eating, watching television, sometimes even while working out! Without realizing it, the time spent in a seated position stacks up throughout the day. To limit this, be conscious of your sitting habits. Can you stand while eating food as if it's an Italian beef sandwich? Can you lie down while watching television or pace around your office? These are all things that are plausible yet many people consider them inconvenient.
The scary truth is that, while sitting down is a necessity in each of our lives, it is harming us in more ways than we can imagine. Improper chairs lower our productivity, diminish our posture, and take away from our life's duration. So because it's unavoidable, do the smart thing: Purchase a chair worth sitting in. Maintain your back's natural curve, eliminate back pain from a sub-par chair and don't let a mediocre chair end your life early.
There will always be people who glance over such studies and laugh. To some, it doesn't seem reasonable that something as natural to us as breathing can harm us in so many ways. To them I say continue being naive, or go out and do something about it. Become more active. Re-examine your daily habits. Purchase an ergonomic, back-friendly chair. For such a small investment with such life-altering rewards, you owe it to yourself.
