Sit and suffer: Dangers of sitting for long hours

Is sitting the new smoking? Data states that a sedentary lifestyle is a step closer to death. It’s worrying since we Indians are great at it. “Ours is a culture, where people are insistent that you sit whenever you meet them,” says author Amitav Ghosh.

Owing to our present work atmosphere, the author admits that majority of people sit in front of a computer for at least six to eight hours every day and don’t even realise how harmful it is for their bodies. “As a writer too, most of my work is done sitting down,” he says.

To counter this, Ghosh ensures that he plays badminton every day and has now started writing standing up. “Though it took time getting used to, I feel much better now.”

Sana Mirza, an ads integrity analyst, has been advised by her physiotherapist to stand more often after she complained of health ailments.

“A physiotherapist advised that in order to have less back pain and to get the blood flowing in my legs, I should stand and work at times,” says Sana, who admits the results have been quite positive so far.

She adds, “She showed me how I should stand and what level the table has to be at so that I maintain the correct posture. Since the past couple of months, I feel more energetic and don’t crouch or bend and work. Sometimes, I just play music while I am standing and working and do a few stretches. It’s best to stand and work after lunch since you feel less sleepy.”

Not just them, Mark Zuckerberg reportedly runs his empire standing. Leonardo Da Vinci, too, has painted many of his master works standing. Ernest Hemingway, Charles Dickens etc. are a few more examples.

Stand-up desks and massage chairs
Nowadays, corporations in the city have become increasingly particular about installing furniture and other elements at the work place that promotes a healthy lifestyle.

“We are a company that supports stand-up desks. We are reconfiguring our office soon to support adjustable height desks. Our COO works using a stand-up desk,” says Ramesh Loganathan, president, HYSEA and vice-president, products and managing director, Progress India.

“Swing chairs and bean bags give us the flexibility to sit comfortably at work and the break out areas which come with chairs of different styles makes us stand as a team to conduct some of the design discussions in a much flexible manner. Along with this, fun elements at workplace such as TT boards, PC games and massage chairs etc. makes us move away from our routine work places,” says Dr Ganesh Iyer, QA Architect, Progress Software.

An employee from the same company, Rama Bulusu, adds: “Not moving around much had me complaining about back problems. But thanks to the automatic massage at work, my late evening work calls are on a massage chair and this helps me relax.”

“Even with controlled amount of exercise, excessive sitters are still 34 per cent more likely to develop heart failure than those who are standing or moving. Sitting can lead to a variety of health problems and increase the overall risk of death, even if you try to get exercise while you’re not sitting and eat a healthy diet,” says Dr Chandra Bhushan.

“Adults who spend two or more hours per day sitting have a 125 per cent increased risk of health problems related to cardiovascular disease, including chest pain and heart attacks. Men who spend more than five hours per day sitting outside of work and who get limited exercise are at twice the risk of heart failure than those who exercise often and sit fewer than two hours daily outside of the office,” says Dr Chandra Bhushan, head of department and chief surgeon, Institute of Orthopaedic and Joint Replacements, Global Hospitals.