Recently we blogged about the importance of “activity breaks”… getting up from the computer or couch every hour. Studies have suggested that periodic breaks can protect your back and core from the effects of prolonged sitting.
New research from Australia has shown that people who spent a lot of time at a desk, or in front of the TV were more likely to die of any cause during a three year period than those people who sat a few hours a day. “When we give people messages about how much physical activity they should be doing, we also need to talk to them about reducing the amount of hours they spend sitting each day,” said Hidde van der Ploeg, the study’s lead author from the University of Sydney.
More than 200,000 adults over the age of 45 were tested. Of those people the researchers found that people who sat for at least 11 hours a day were 40% more likely to die during the study than those who sat less than four hours each day. The study suggests that swapping some time from sitting to physical activity can have long-term benefits.
Getting up periodically to stretch your legs, get some water, or step outside can be important for both mental and physical health.