7 Risks To Your Brain & Body of Prolonged Sitting
How does sitting for a long time can negatively affect your brain?
Sitting, a seemingly innocuous action that we engage in daily, has been increasingly linked to many health issues. From heart diseases to mental health disorders, the impact of excessive sitting on our well-being is more significant than we might have previously considered. This article delves into the alarming effects of sitting too much on brain health, shedding light on a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of our daily lives.
How Does An Inactive Lifestyle Affect Your Life?
A sedentary lifestyle is characterized by excessive inactivity or lack of physical exercise. It typically involves activities such as
- sitting,
- lying down,
- watching TV, or
- engaging in screen-based activities for prolonged periods.
Unfortunately, this lifestyle is becoming commonplace. This is due to the increasing automation of tasks, desk-bound jobs, and the rise of digital entertainment.
Staying glued to your seat might raise your risk of health problems as you age. This includes diabetes, heart disease, and even certain cancers. Even people who exercise regularly are not safe from these risks if they sit for a large part of their day. Here are seven ways in which sitting too much is affecting your health.
Increased Threat to Heart Health
One of the most alarming consequences of excessive sitting is its detrimental impact on heart health. Numerous studies have established a correlation between prolonged sitting and a heightened risk of heart disease. Even individuals who exercise regularly are not excluded from this risk. Break up long sitting sessions with periods of physical activity.
Shortened Lifespan
Excessive sitting has been linked to a shortened lifespan and heart disease. This finding implies that excessive time seated can lower your life expectancy irrespective of your exercise habits.
Mental Health Consequences
Prolonged sitting does not only harm your physical health, but it also is a significant threat to your mental wellbeing. Studies have found a higher risk of anxiety and depression among individuals who spend a large portion of their day seated. Lack of exercise and fitness might be contributing to this.
Linked to Diabetes
Another alarming consequence of prolonged sitting is its link to higher diabetes risk. A sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of insulin resistance, which causes your blood sugars to rise above healthy levels. Consequently, people who spend more time sitting are at a higher risk of developing diabetes.
Catalyst for Dementia
Emerging studies suggest that excessive sitting could increase your chances of developing dementia. The precise reason behind this is yet to be discovered. However, the correlation between sedentary behavior and mental health deterioration is clear.
Varicose Veins and Deep Vein Thrombosis
Prolonged sitting could lead to varicose veins or spider veins. This results from blood pooling in your legs due to prolonged inactivity. In severe cases, this could lead to deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is a condition where a blood clot forms in the veins of your leg. When you sit longer, blood flow to the legs and core decreases, potentially impacting blood pressure after eating. This can lead to fatigue and a lack of energy, hindering your ability to focus and complete tasks. Nootropics like Artvigil 150 and modafinil are great for boosting concentration and productivity.
Chronic Back Pain
Sitting for long periods, especially with bad posture, can cause chronic back pain. Sitting puts immense stress on your back muscles, neck, and spine. Over time, this can result in persistent postural misalignment and early muscle fatigue. Weight Gain Factor Sitting for long periods can make it harder to manage your weight. It has been linked to obesity and weight gain. This is particularly true for individuals who eat while distracted by a screen, as they tend to consume more significant portions.
How to Incorporate Movement into Your Daily Routine
Incorporating movement into daily routines is critical to counteracting the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Simple changes, such as
- taking the stairs instead of the elevator,
- walking to nearby destinations,
- finding opportunities to stand and stretch during the day
Can significantly increase daily physical activity levels.
While exercise is great for health, it can't fully counteract the downsides of sitting all day. Aim for a balance of movement and activity to maximize health benefits. People can also use technology to incorporate more movement into daily routines. Various apps and wearables that track physical activity and remind users to move can be helpful tools.
How to Reduce the Negative Effects of Sitting
To counteract the harmful effects of prolonged sitting, it's crucial for you to incorporate regular physical activity into your routine. Even simple activities such as walking can significantly improve brain function. Adopting a well-rounded lifestyle and making positive changes can help reduce the risk to your brain health. These changes may include staying physically active, eating a brain-healthy diet, managing stress, getting adequate sleep, limiting alcohol, and avoiding substance abuse. Remember, you have the power to protect your brain health.
The Bottom Line
The evidence is clear: prolonged sitting can negatively affect your physical and mental health. While it's not always possible to avoid sitting, especially in work situations, breaking up sitting periods with standing or walking intervals is essential. This simple act can go a long way in maintaining overall health and, significantly, preserving brain function. Remember, a proactive approach to health can help keep your brain sharp and your body fit.
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What happens to your body in a coma?
Comas should not be mistaken for sleep, despite the word's origin from the Greek term for deep sleep, "Koma." Comas are a form of unconsciousness that differs greatly from sleep, rendering individuals unable to respond to external stimuli. Even if you were to blast the loudest, most intense death metal music right next to someone in a coma, it would have no effect other than irritating the neighbors. In fact, you could even inflict physical harm on a comatose person, and they would remain completely unaware and unresponsive. In the past, this lack of response was sometimes seen as an opportunity for "treatment," with doctors attempting various methods to shock patients back into consciousness. These methods ranged from exposing the body to flames, drastically lowering body temperature with ice, to even bloodletting from the head. There were even cases where doctors believed that emptying the stomach completely would force the patient to wake up due to hunger. It seems that doctors were willing to try anything and everything, including the kitchen sink, to solve the problem. Comas can occur as a result of severe trauma or as a deliberate medical treatment. They are often triggered by traumatic head injuries, as the brain shuts down to focus on self-repair. However, comas can also be caused by stroke, brain tumors, drug or alcohol abuse, or certain illnesses such as diabetes or infections. Typically, comas last only a few weeks. However, if the coma persists beyond this period, the patient may enter a persistent vegetative state, greatly reducing their chances of recovery. In some cases, individuals who do recover from a coma may experience major or minor disabilities, including speech impediments, mental retardation, or difficulties with coordination. Medically induced comas are utilized in cases where patients face a high risk of brain injury, whether it be due to physical trauma, drug overdoses, or diseases. The main objective is to safeguard and regulate the pressure dynamics within the brain. In instances of injury or illness, the brain may swell and exert pressure against the skull, leading to oxygen deprivation in certain areas of the brain. By inducing a coma, the electrical activity of the brain is decreased and its metabolism is slowed down, thereby reducing swelling and inflammation. Various types of comas exist, each distinct from the others. A vegetative state indicates that the individual's body may exhibit physical movements like grunts or yawns, yet does not respond to external stimuli. These movements are purely involuntary, and witnessing a loved one's body yawn can unfortunately give rise to false hope. In reality, the brain remains inactive and functions only at the most basic levels. Conversely, catatonia involves a complete absence of movement or response of any kind- as the term suggests. Catatonic patients often require assistance from machines to facilitate breathing and potentially even heart function. Brain death signifies the complete destruction of higher brain functions, with the brain solely carrying out autonomic functions such as breathing and swallowing which are instinctual. A person declared brain dead has no possibility of recovery, typically resulting from severe physical trauma or illness. While a stupor is not technically classified as a form of coma, it is sometimes colloquially referred to as one. Individuals in a stupor may be roused, albeit with significant effort. They may easily slip back into a deep unconscious state, but more often than not, they will regain consciousness on their own. The concern arises if they descend so deeply into unconsciousness that their autonomic functions are compromised. During a coma, the brain exhibits no awareness or cognitive processing, and is entirely unresponsive to external stimuli. It is as if the brain has completely shut down or is undergoing a reboot similar to a computer. In less severe cases, the body will continue to perform basic functions such as breathing and pumping blood. In some instances, patients may even cough as the body tries to regain airflow when the airway is blocked. However, the brain appears to be unable to establish communication between the brain stem and the cerebrum, which is responsible for cognitive consciousness. This lack of communication occurs due to the reticular activating system. The coma state remains largely mysterious to doctors, and there is still much that is unknown about it. In 2013, doctors treating an epileptic man in a coma were surprised to discover brain activity in the hippocampus. This region of the brain is believed to be associated with emotions, memory, and the autonomic nervous system. It is possible that the unconscious person may experience memories but little else. The doctors conducted similar experiments on cats under general anesthesia and gained valuable knowledge that could potentially lead to the reversal of comas. However, it is important to note that the presence of brain activity does not indicate awareness or the ability to communicate about one's condition. Nevertheless, it does provide strong evidence that the brain takes actions to repair and protect itself while in a comatose state. The rest of the body generally remains unaffected by the coma, as functions like breathing and heartbeating are controlled by the passive nervous system. Coma patients often require intravenous feeding and hydration, as well as intubation to maintain a clear airway. Some patients may still retain the reflexes to swallow. However, the most common issue faced by coma patients is muscle atrophy, which occurs due to prolonged periods of inactivity. You do not have to be in a coma for this to occur; if you have spent several weeks as a couch potato, you have likely experienced muscle weakness due to lack of exercise. Simply taking a walk once a day can prevent muscle atrophy. Bedsores are a serious concern for coma patients, also known as pressure ulcers. These are common for individuals who are bedridden, immobile, or lack the ability to feel pain. They occur in areas of the skin under pressure from prolonged bed rest, sitting, or wearing a tight cast. If left untreated, bedsores can lead to infection and become deep, extending into the muscle or bone. They are slow to heal and may require surgery. Despite common misconceptions, most coma patients recover within a few weeks with some level of mental capacity. Ongoing research and advancements in treatment are improving our understanding of comas, as seen in a case where a 35-year-old man in a vegetative state for 15 years was able to achieve "minimal consciousness" through vagus nerve stimulation. This nerve is one of the largest in the body, connecting directly to the heart, lungs, upper digestive tract, and other vital organs. During his unconscious state, medical professionals successfully guided his eye movements towards objects, eliciting expressions of astonishment on his face. Regrettably, he remained unable to communicate verbally or exhibit any signs of higher cognitive function. Despite this significant progress, doctors caution that recovery from comas varies greatly among individuals, and what proves effective for one patient may not necessarily yield the same results for others.
By Lillian Formelováabout 22 hours ago in Education
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