Are you sitting all day? Well, you are hardly alone.
According to the NHS, many adults in the UK spend around 9 hours a day sitting. This includes watching TV, using a computer, reading, doing homework, travelling by car, bus or train but does not include sleeping.
And this can hardly be a surprise. There is so much technology around us in the West that most of us don’t have to do any physical labour at all. We sit for a living.
In the last decade or so research has been building up on the effects of prolong sitting and inactivity on our health and wellbeing.
In the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines, published in 2019, we read:
There have been notable developments in the evidence base for the health effects of sedentary
time in adults, with research suggesting sitting time is associated with all-cause and
cardiovascular mortality, and cancer risk and survivorship. Prolonged sitting is harmful.
And more from the NHS:
Studies have linked being inactive with being overweight and obese, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and early death.Sitting for long periods is thought to slow the metabolism, which affects the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat.
The good news though is that even relatively small increases in physical activity can contribute to improved health and quality of life. For example, having regular breaks from sitting is a good way to start. Standing up and moving around will not only counter the effects of sitting. It will also refresh your memory and concentration so that you will be better at what you do when you sit back down.
I call these breaks “movement snacks” and I love them!
So today I offer you Half Bridge pose which is the perfect antidote to long hours of sitting. You can do it in the evening to reboot or at any time during the day when you need a little boost.
Half Bridge pose
Benefits
- Lengthens the quadriceps and deep hip flexors in the front body
- Wakes up and tones the hamstrings, the glutes and the long muscles along the spine
- Expands the chest
- Strengthens the upper back
- Energises the body
Enjoy!
Related articles:
4 ways of sitting that may affect your feet
Sitting for long contributes to dementia risk as much as your genes
