Why the habit of prolonged sitting changes your health and how to bring movement back into every day

The average adult spends almost 10 hours a day sitting: working at a computer, commuting, relaxing in front of the TV. Have you ever noticed how much time is spent in such stillness? But what happens to our bodies if we spend most of the day without movement? Even regular workouts at the gym are not able to fully compensate for the harm caused by long hours of inactivity. Why has a sedentary routine become one of the main threats to our health, and how can we counteract it?

What is a sedentary lifestyle and why is it dangerous

A sedentary lifestyle is when a person spends most of their waking hours sitting or lying down, barely moving outside of sleep. Typical examples include office work, binge-watching TV series, commuting by transport, or long hours behind the wheel.

People also often sit for long periods during modern high-tech entertainment. Just think of video games and watching series. People also often spend a lot of time watching sports competitions. Especially long ones, like tennis or cricket. According to a major industry site from the top of search results, apps for betting on IPL have become quite widespread. This indicates both the growing popularity of betting itself and the increasing number of fans of this sport. And this also exacerbates the problem of physical inactivity.

Already 4–6 hours of total sitting per day is considered critical for health by experts, and if there are more than 10 such hours, the risk of developing chronic diseases increases significantly. As clinical physiologist Eric Van Iterson emphasizes, the danger of inactivity remains even for people with normal weight: “It’s not just about body mass or BMI, it’s important to consider how much time you spend without movement.” So how can you tell that your body lacks activity?

How the body signals a lack of movement

Our body responds sensitively to a lack of movement and gives quite specific signals about it. Take a closer look—you may already be noticing these symptoms:

  •   Decreased energy levels. Slowed metabolism and weak blood flow make you feel tired even after a good night’s sleep
  •   Gradual weight gain. If energy expenditure is low, everything “extra” turns into fat stores, especially around the abdomen
  •   Weakness and discomfort in the muscles. The legs, lower back, and back suffer the most, stiffness appears and sometimes even numbness
  •   Posture problems. Many are familiar with back and neck pain after prolonged sitting, rounding of the shoulders and slouching
  •   Joint and muscle pain. Lack of movement reduces lubrication in the joints, leading to stiffness and pain

For office workers, such signs become a daily reality: after a few hours at the desk, sluggishness appears and the back starts to ache. Why does this happen? Muscles, not receiving load, weaken, metabolism slows down, blood flow decreases, and the body is deprived of necessary stimulation. If these signals are ignored, the consequences can become much more serious.

What health risks are associated with a sedentary lifestyle

What diseases actually threaten those who spend most of the day without movement? Research shows that inactivity directly increases the risk of:

  •   Obesity. The body burns fewer calories, and excess energy turns into fat deposits. According to experts, an extra half a kilo per week can turn into 26 kg over a year
  •   Cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. The heart, like any muscle, weakens without work, and constant sitting disrupts the structure of blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Studies show that 10 or more hours of sitting a day increase the risk of heart attack and stroke by dozens of percent
  •   Mental disorders and depression. Numerous scientific reviews find a link between a sedentary lifestyle (especially in front of a screen) and increased anxiety, apathy, and depressive states
  •   The risk of developing certain types of cancer: colon, lung, endometrial. Scientists believe this is related to metabolic disorders and chronic inflammation

As Dr. Van Iterson warns, “it’s important to consider not only the numbers on the scale, but also your daily habits.” Think about how many hours your office chair “takes away” from your health.

Simple ways to add movement to everyday life

To become more active, you don’t have to start with drastic changes or complicated sports programs. In everyday life, you can find many opportunities for movement:

  •   Walking to a nearby store or coffee shop on foot
  •   Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
  •   Short stretches and warm-ups every hour during work
  •   Using a standing desk or moving around the room during phone calls
  •   Talking to a colleague in person instead of chatting online

These small changes gradually add up to a significant increase in physical activity. As Dr. Van Iterson notes: “If you get up and walk for five minutes every hour during the workday, you’ll accumulate 40 minutes of extra movement without even setting aside special time for it.” Looking for situations where you can avoid sitting for more than an hour at a time is an important step toward changing habits. However, just small “movement snacks” are not enough for serious disease prevention.

Why it’s important to combine activity with regular workouts

Additional activity during the day is a good start, but truly tangible benefits for health come from regular aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercises are types of physical activity that increase breathing and heart rate. These include:

  •   Brisk walking
  •   Running
  •   Cycling
  •   Swimming
  •   Any dynamic dancing or team sports

Regular aerobic workouts improve heart function, speed up metabolism, and help prevent the diseases listed above. Even if you’re just starting out—let it be ten-minute walks after lunch or swimming once a week. The main thing is to gradually include such activities in your daily routine. Let every step toward activity become a habitual and understandable part of your routine. What obstacles prevent you from making movement a part of your life?

Context, explanations, and additional examples

Terms like BMI refer to body mass index—the ratio of weight to height, which helps assess health risks. Metabolism is the sum of chemical processes that turn food into energy, and aerobic activity means exercises with intense work of the heart and lungs. Widespread physical inactivity has become a problem relatively recently—over the past decades, when work moved into offices and leisure became “screen-based.” You can imagine the body as a car that stands still for a long time: parts start to “rust,” and the engine starts up worse and worse. It’s important to remember that research in this area is ongoing, and there are no universal recipes. All recommendations are general—before making drastic lifestyle changes, you should discuss your plans with a doctor.

Caring for your health through movement

Every extra movement, every small habit to reduce sitting time can lower the risk of serious diseases and prolong active longevity. Your health is in your hands, and even the shortest walk or warm-up in front of the screen works for you. Be attentive to yourself, look for opportunities to move, and remember: every step you take becomes a contribution to your overall well-being.