Exercise Does Not Cancel the Harmful Effects of Sitting

How many hours per day do you spend sitting? It's not uncommon for men and women to spend more than half the day sitting. Whether you are driving, eating dinner, watching TV, using the computer, or even working, you might be sitting. And while this may seem harmless enough, there's growing evidence that it can lead to disease and other health problems later in life.

According to a new study published in the journal Health Psychology Review, prolonged sitting has been linked to adverse health effects like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. While researchers have known about the dangerous effects of prolonged sitting for quite some time, this study offers a unique perspective on the subject: researchers say that exercise offers only minimal benefits in terms of combating the negative effects of prolonged sitting.

Some people assume that it's okay to sit for long periods of time if they exercise afterwards. But according to this study, this isn't the case. Even if you spend 30-60 minutes exercising at the end of the day, it's not going to make up for all of those long hours spent sitting. Sitting causes blood circulation to slow down, metabolism levels to drop, an imbalance in hormones, and other adverse reactions.

"..the findings should also be of interest to anyone looking to improve their health by reducing their own sitting time in their day-to-day lives, as many of these interventions can be adopted on an individual level," says co-author Dr. Benjamin Gardner of King's College London.

So, what steps can you take to reduce the amount of time you spend in the chair? For starters, be conscious of how much time you spend sitting in a typical day. The truth is that most people are completely oblivious to this, assuming it has little-of-no importance. Unless you know exactly how many hours of the day you spend sitting, though, you won't be able to make lifestyle changes to correct it.

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator will lower the amount of time you spend sitting. If you normally take the elevator to reach your work office, try taking the stairs instead. This is a great way to stay active while burning calories in the process.

Another idea is to invest in a standing computer desk. These desks are taller than standard desks, featuring a unique design that's optimized for standing.