By leading a sedentary lifestyle, you end up burning fewer calories. The body is like a machine—it needs regular movement and maintenance to keep functioning well. One of the biggest contributors to inactivity is the sheer convenience of modern life. We have remotes for almost everything, from switching on the TV to controlling appliances, which means we often move far less than we should.
Sitting harms the body: Metabolic slowdown
What happens when you sit for hours at a stretch? It stops muscles from contracting, which reduces your ability to process blood sugar and break down fats. This leads to poor circulation: Inactivity slows blood flow in your lower body, stiffening blood vessels and raising your long-term risk of heart disease.
Muscle and bone loss
Over time, a lack of movement weakens your glutes, legs, and bones. Even simple activities like sitting on the floor or bending and picking up things will become impossible.
Chronic inflammation: Extended rest without movement triggers low-grade internal inflammation linked to major illnesses.
How to break the cycle
It is simple: Get up and move around for a few minutes at least once every hour. This is often the case with all who work in front of the computers. You sit for hours at a stretch. Change that habit. Take short breaks during phone calls and walk. You can inject some daily movement every day, and it needn’t be some major calorie-burning exercise if you are not up to it. Do household chores, take the stairs, or stretch while watching TV.
A lifestyle with a lot of sitting and lying down, with very little or no exercise, leads to many lifestyle diseases.
When you have an inactive lifestyle:
* You burn fewer calories. This makes you more likely to gain weight.
* Muscle loss because you are not using your muscles as much
* Loss of mineral content with bones getting weaker
* Your body may have more trouble breaking down fats and sugars as your metabolism is affected.
* Your immune system may not work as well.
* You may have poorer blood circulation.
* Your body may have more inflammation.
An inactive lifestyle can lead to diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and stroke.
How can I get started with exercise?
If you have been inactive, start slowly. Strength training becomes essential after the age of 40. You can consult a health care provider to look at what type of exercise best suits you.
—manuvipin@newindianexpress.com
For more updates, join/follow our
https://www.whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb677uz60eBXiDYheb0n