Sedentary behaviour is any activity that involves very little physical movement and low energy use. This includes activities that bring about prolonged sitting or lying down. In this present age, there has been a lot of focus on reducing human stress and living comfortably through modern technologies and inventions. This has a lot of advantages, no doubt. However, it’s also advisable to look at some of the disadvantages associated with this which include sedentary behaviour and its complications.
Sedentary lifestyle can lead to lots of health issues like increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and weight gain, weakened muscles and joints, osteoporosis, and weak bones.etc. This article explores the risks associated with sedentary behaviour and practical solutions to these harmful effects.
Unlike physical inactivity, which refers to a lack of exercise, sedentary behaviour can affect even those who engage in regular workouts but spend most of their day sitting. Sedentary behaviour has significant effects on cardiovascular health. These effects need to be studied.
INCREASED RISK OF HEART DISEASE
Sitting for long hours brings about reduced muscle contractions leading to poor circulation. This can cause thrombosis, a clot blocking a blood vessel, and can be life-threatening, increasing the risk of coronary artery disease and heart attacks.
Regular movement helps to keep blood vessels flexible and improve circulation. However, sedentary lifestyle reduces this flexibility, thereby making them stiff and narrower. With this, the heart must work harder to pump blood, leading to high blood pressure.
OBESITY
Sedentary behaviours slows metabolism, reducing the ability of the body to burn calories effectively. This leads to fat accumulation and weight gain. Excess body fat, particularly around the abdomen is a known risk factor for heart disease.
UNHEALTHY LIPID PROFILE
Sedentary lifestyle leads to higher levels of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), this contribute to plaque accumulation in arteries. At the same time the level of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) decreases, reducing the body’s ability to clear excess cholesterol from bloodstream. This imbalance increases the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes.
At this point, it is of no doubt that sedentary behaviours makes one more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases. We need to be careful and conscious of our lifestyles as medical students. We are known to spend most of our day reading, which happens mostly in one spot or with minimal movement. By being aware of the risks, we should actively protect ourselves from them by Increasing our daily movement, monitoring sedentary time, getting involved in regular exercise, and adopting an active lifestyle.
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