Do you have a 9 to 10 hours shift job? Where sitting is the only way of working? Do you feel that your waist size has increased? You spent most of the time sitting in front of your laptop or any other electronic device, if this sounds like you, you are spending more time being passive. Passive behavior can also increase your risk of dying, either from heart disease or other medical problems, even if you’re doing 30 minutes per day of physical activity, it matters what you do the other 23 hours of the day.

 The World Health Organization says that approximately 2 million deaths per year are due to physical inactivity, WHO warns that a sedentary lifestyle could be among the ten leading causes of death and disability globally. An unhealthy lifestyle increases all causes of mortality. The risk of cardiovascular diseases and obesity increases the chances of colon cancer, high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety.

Most people leading an inactive lifestyle are unlikely to be meeting the national physical activity guidelines. The experience of the coronavirus has aggravated sedentary lifestyles, causing more obesity, if you are physically active, being inactive is still harmful to your health. Working out does not offset the consequences of sitting all day.

What Are the Negative Effects of a Passive Lifestyle?

Have you ever heard the expression, “An object in motion tends to stay in motion.”? What do you think a passive object is going to continue to do? Humans are rather habitual creatures, it much easier to continue to do something from a formed habit than to step outside a comfort zone and try something different. So if we have formed a habit passive lifestyle. Chances are you’re going to continue until you either hit rock bottom, have a life-changing experience, or find the motivation to get moving.

Sedentary Lifestyle Negative Effects.

A Sedentary Lifestyle is a bad habit. You don’t have to be a great athlete or an everyday exerciser or runner to break free from a passive lifestyle. Here are some of the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle:

The Obvious Health Risks.

 Being sedentary is the opposite of being active. What happens with inactivity? Weight gain. Weight brings nasty problems, so a sedentary lifestyle has obvious health risks like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. The more weight you gain the harder your heart has to work. Your heart is a muscle, and the less it is worked, the weaker it becomes.

Loss of Flexibility.

Blood doesn’t flow as freely through tight, bound muscles. Inflammation and pain rear their ugly heads as flexibility are lost. The more sitting you do, the more your hip flexors and low back become particularly tight. Your abs and glutes also become weaker.

 Lower Metabolism.

 A sedentary lifestyle means fewer calories burned. A lot of your body’s ability to break down fat simply shuts down.

Osteoporosis.

 Here’s a not-so-obvious health risk. Your body and muscles are made to move. Your bones are made to bear the weight of movement to stay strong. A sedentary lifestyle or too sitting and inactivity can lead to osteoporosis.

Increased Chances of Dementia, Depression, and Anxiety.

The mind is more linked to the lack of movement than most realize, especially in the elderly. But you don’t have to become elderly before you feel the negative harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle on the mind.

So what can you do? Nobody can keep moving all day long, and you have to work. Unless you work in an environment that keeps you active, this will be tough. This is where you have a choice. Choose to form good habits:

1.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

2.  Stand as often as you can at work.

3.  Park further away from the door at work.

4.  Walk the halls while on phone calls.

5.  Exercise and stretch daily.

 However you choose to get moving, just get moving. Avoid the harmful effects of a sedentary lifestyle and take control of your health and mind!