Juhi Kumari
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Everyone should indulge in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of a more vigorous workout. © Shutterstock
Andrew Weil, an American celebrity doctor, once said, "Human bodies are designed for regular physical activity. The sedentary nature of much of modern life probably plays a significant role in the epidemic incidence of depression today." Today, technology has made human life extremely convenient. And, it is this convenience that makes you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting on the sofa for the entire day, eating anything recklessly and being attached to your chair in office play a significant role in making you lazy and unhealthy.
Researchers have recently found that lack of physical activities for a longer period of time can increase your risk of developing chronic health issues that can lead to mortality. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), everyone should indulge in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of a more vigorous workout. Let's know about the research in detail.
According to a research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2019, having an inactive lifestyle for two decades can double your risk of mortality as compared to those who are quite active. For the study, the researchers enrolled 23,146 men and women. The study team divided them into 3 groups based on their activity levels. Notably, the categories were inactive, moderate (less than two hours a week) and high (two or more hours per week). Later, the scientists analysed the data by keeping certain factors like sex, smoking, body mass index, blood pressure, and education level in consideration. The participant's physical activity data were associated with the death information until the end of 2013. This statistic was taken from Norwegian Cause of Death Registry.
Researchers observed that people who led a sedentary life between 1984 to 1986 and 2006 to 2008 were twice as likely to develop severe diseases and conditions that are known to cause death. Also, they were at a 2.7 per cent greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. Those who indulged in moderate activity for two decades of their life were at a 60 per cent and 90 per cent higher risks of dying from all kinds of diseases including cardiovascular deaths when compared to the reference group. According to the researchers involved in this study, even indulging in a moderate amount of workout can potentially provide you with health benefits.
Being a couch potato is a significant factor behind many health issues these days. It is associated with various health risks. Read on to know about them.
According to a study published in the Texas Heart Institute Journal, physical inactivity causes obesity, a factor which is already associated with various cardiovascular problems. Lack of physical activity makes your body's metabolism slow. This means that chemical reactions that take place in the body to breakdown food for energy will take place with a slow pace. This clearly means that you will burn less calories than required at rest or/and during activity. In this case, you will easily gain weight. Increased cholesterol level in the blood may get accumulated in the walls of your arteries. This will narrow the arteries blocking the blood flow to the heart muscles. This is what leads to heart attacks. It is characterised by symptoms like tightness and pain in the chest, nausea, heart burn, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc.
How to avoid it: To avoid this condition, firstly start exercising. Avoid bad habits like smoking and drinking. Eat green vegetables and control tress.
Various studies in the field have revealed that a sedentary lifestyle in your 30s can increase your risk of getting a stroke. Moderate and high levels of exercise is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, says a research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Actually, sitting for a longer duration and not doing any activity doubles your risk of getting blood clots in the lungs. In case that clot travels and reaches your brain blocking the blood flow to this organ, you will experience a stroke. In fact, accumulated cholesterol in the arteries can also block the blood flow to the brain causing this cardiovascular problem. Stroke is characterised by symptoms like trouble in speaking, headaches, trouble in walking, etc.
How to avoid it: Lower the amount of saturated fats in your daily diet. Foods containing this fat include butter, cheese, poultry, etc. Also, control your blood sugar level and keep a check on your body mass index.
According to a study published in the Journal of Lipid Research, an inactive lifestyle is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. When you exercise, your body reactions take place faster and this helps in the breakdown of foods. This reduces the risk obesity. However, an inactive lifestyle affects insulin production by the pancreas. This is what lead to high blood sugar level in the blood causing type 2 diabetes. Some of its symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, blurred vision, slow healing, etc.
How to avoid it: Some of the lifestyle habits can help you to keep type 2 diabetes at bay. Indulge in regular exercise, keep a check on your sugar intake and avoid stress (by doing yoga).
"Sedentary lifestyle is a significant contributing factor for the increased prevalence of osteoporosis," says a research published in the journal Calcified Tissue International. For healthy bones, you need to have strong muscles and enough calcium in the body. Lack of physical exercise is what makes your muscles weak. It also leads to poor balance and posture. Additionally, a sedentary lifestyle means you do not go out much. This can make you vitamin D deficient if you are not taking enough of this nutrient from the foods you eat. Sun rays actually helps your body produce vitamin D. In case of its deficiency, your body won't be able to absorb calcium from the foods you have. This can lead to a condition called osteoporosis, which is characterised by weak and brittle bones, back pain, stooped posture and a gradual loss of height.
How to avoid it: To prevent this condition, indulge in daily exercise. Also, avoid smoking and drinking. Additionally, have foods rich in vitamin C and D. Some of these foods include oranges, lemon, egg yolk, cheese, soy milk, cereals, etc.