Slipping into a sedentary lifestyle is all too easy, but it comes with serious health risks. Prolonged inactivity can lead to chronic diseases and mental health challenges. Learn how to combat the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle and take your first steps toward a more active and healthier you.
What Exactly is a Sedentary Lifestyle?
A sedentary lifestyle involves spending most of your day sitting or lying down with little physical activity. Research shows that Americans spend an average of 7.7 hours daily being sedentary. This trend is mirrored globally, with South Koreans averaging 8.3 hours of inactivity each day.
In modern society, our daily lives have become increasingly more sedentary. Our leisure activities often involve watching television, playing video games, and scrolling on our phones.
Even our jobs are becoming increasingly more inactive. Many people sit in front of computers all day in an office.
How we commute also involves much sitting, including riding in cars, buses, and trains. With all of this inactivity, we are seeing more and more people feel the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. This type of lifestyle is dangerous for our health.
Sedentary Lifestyle Effects
Humans are bipedal animals, which means we stand upright. Our bodies are made to function with this upright positioning. So, human cardiovascular, digestive, and skeletal systems function more effectively when they spend more time upright. Physical activity increases your endurance and energy levels. It also strengthens your bones.
When you remain sedentary, it can affect every system in your body leading to higher risks of chronic disease and ill health. Here are some ways that a sedentary lifestyle affects people.
Weight Gain
One of the more obvious ways an inactive lifestyle affects your body is by causing weight gain. Your body digests food to create energy. The more energy you use the fewer calories are stored as body fat. If you are not moving your muscles very much, your body isn't using as much energy. The excess sugars and fats end up getting stored in your body.
Weight gain occurs when your energy expenditure is far less than your food consumption.
If you are not getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week then you are at a higher risk of obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30.
Obesity is a chronic disease where excessive fat deposits can lead to poor health. Your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer increases. It affects your quality of life and can affect your reproductive health, as well.
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Loss of Muscle Strength
When it comes to muscle strength, if you don't use it, you lose it. If you stop using your muscles, you may develop muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy is when your body stops taking care of your muscles. Your body is all about efficiency. If you aren't using something, there is no reason for your body to maintain its upkeep. So, if your muscles aren't used, your body will start to break them down.
Long periods of sitting time can lead to the weakening of your gluteal and large leg muscles. These muscles aren't just for sitting. They also help to stabilize you as you walk. Weak sitting muscles can make it easier for you to fall and get injured or strain yourself during exercise.
Your hips and back are also affected by being sedentary. As you sit, your hip flexor muscles shorten. Over a prolonged period, this can cause issues with your hip joint. Sitting at desks can also lead to poor posture which can cause spine health problems. Being bent over a computer or device can also cause stiffness in your neck and shoulders.
These issues may even affect your bones and put you at risk of developing osteoporosis.
These issues can be painful and degenerative. Older adults are especially at risk since aging is associated with reduced muscle mass.
Sleeplessness
Another problem with living a sedentary life is that it can affect your body's ability to rest. If you aren't moving enough during the day, it won't burn enough energy to make you feel like you need to rest at night. It can make it hard for you to fall asleep and stay asleep.
This ends up causing fatigue during the day. You may feel worn down and sluggish. Moving releases endorphins and bursts of energy that can improve your mood and relieve pain. If you aren't moving much, you don't get these natural boosts.
Lack of sleep and energy can also cause difficulty concentrating. A foggy brain is another side effect of living a sedentary lifestyle. Without exercise, your body is not as alert or motivated, so you begin to have trouble paying attention.
Studies indicated through blood cell-based inflammatory biomarkers that sedentary behavior led to a higher incidence of sleep disturbance. The good news is that adding exercise to your routine can improve your quality of sleep, energy, and concentration.
Poor Blood Circulation
Sitting causes blood to pool in your legs. This can increase your chance of getting varicose veins and spider veins. Varicose veins are twisted, dark blue veins that are visible on people's legs. These rope-like veins are a result of faulty valves in the veins. These faulty valves allow blood to pool. Spider veins are smaller versions of varicose veins.
Luckily, varicose veins aren't typically dangerous, but they can be unsightly. However, they can be an early sign that you may have vein-related health problems. You may have a hard time pushing blood from your legs to your heart.
They may also lead to blood clots of deep vein thrombosis. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is another risk factor for people who sit for long periods. DVT is a blood clot in a leg vein that breaks off and travels. It can cut blood flow to other parts of the body. It is a serious condition that needs emergency medical attention or it may lead to death.
Being more physically active can help to keep your blood moving to avoid vein-related issues.
Cardiovascular Disease
Heart disease is the cause of 1 in every 5 deaths in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Men who watch more than 23 hours of television a week have a 64% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
If you're not getting regular physical activity, it can affect how your heart pumps blood. Inactivity leads to fatty build-up in your arteries that can restrict blood flow. Your blood carries oxygen and other vital nutrients to your organs. Without proper blood flow, your heart can become damaged and clogged. This leads to heart disease and the risk of a heart attack.
Besides heart attacks, sedentary men may also develop other health conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension), or coronary artery disease.
Diabetes
Lying in bed or sitting can lead to increased insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone that regulates your body's blood sugar levels and metabolism. Long periods of physical inactivity can create changes in the way your body produces insulin. Insulin resistance is when your blood sugars increase above healthy levels.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic syndrome that occurs once the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin to effectively regulate blood glucose. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to damage to the body's systems and death.
A healthy body weight and active lifestyle paired with a healthy diet that avoids sugar and saturated fats is the best way to prevent developing this disease.
Depression and Anxiety
Sedentary living also takes its toll on your mental health. Physical activity releases feel-good serotonin that improves your mood. Less serotonin leads to fewer positive feelings and a lack of motivation. Reduced physical activity is also linked to fewer social interactions, which can also affect your mood.
Exercise also reduces inflammation, oxidative stress, and beta-endorphins. This can lead to less pain and anxiety which can contribute to depression. Physical activity also promotes the growth of nerve cells in the hippocampus that help with stress regulation and emotional processing.
Without regular exercise, your body lacks all of these support systems and your self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social support tend to suffer.
Cancer
Finally, sedentary behaviors can lead to the development of certain types of cancers. The exact reasons behind the increased risk of getting cancers with a sedentary lifestyle are still unclear. However, lung, uterine, and colon cancers seem to be more common in people who spend most of their time inactive.
Low Testosterone
A sedentary lifestyle can significantly impact hormone production, including testosterone. Inactivity contributes to weight gain and increased fat tissue, which can reduce testosterone levels by converting it into estrogen. Additionally, conditions like type 2 diabetes, poor circulation, and chronic stress—common consequences of prolonged inactivity—are linked to hormonal imbalances.
Low testosterone, or "low T," can lead to fatigue, decreased muscle mass, low libido, and other health issues. For men experiencing these symptoms, Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) may be an effective way to restore hormonal balance and improve overall health.
The Vicious Cycle of a Sedentary Lifestyle and Low Testosterone
Living a sedentary lifestyle doesn't just lead to health problems—it can trap you in a self-perpetuating cycle that's hard to escape. Here's how it works:
- Sedentary Lifestyle Leads to Weight Gain: When you're inactive, your body burns fewer calories. The excess energy is stored as fat, especially visceral fat around the abdomen.
- Fat Increases Aromatase Activity: Fat tissue contains an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. As fat levels increase, more testosterone is lost, leading to lower overall levels in the body.
- Lower Testosterone Reduces Energy and Muscle Mass: Testosterone is vital for maintaining energy levels, muscle growth, and fat metabolism. Lower testosterone levels make you feel tired and sluggish, reducing the likelihood of being active. It also contributes to muscle loss, which further slows your metabolism.
- Reduced Muscle Mass and Energy Worsen Inactivity: With less muscle and energy, physical activity becomes even more challenging. The body burns fewer calories, and the risk of gaining more weight increases.
- Weight Gain Leads to More Fat and Lower Testosterone: The cycle continues as weight gain leads to more aromatase activity, further reducing testosterone and perpetuating the spiral of inactivity, fatigue, and poor health.
While this cycle may seem difficult to break, even small changes, like a 10-minute daily walk or standing during phone calls, can set you on a path to reclaiming your health and vitality
Breaking the Cycle
The good news is that it's possible to break this cycle. Regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and medical interventions like Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) can help you regain energy, build muscle, and improve your overall health. By addressing the root causes, you can reverse the effects of a sedentary lifestyle and reclaim your vitality.
How to Be More Physically Active
The obvious solution is to become more physically active. But, how do you find time to incorporate more active time into your already busy lifestyle?
Current physical activity guidelines suggest getting 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. This is about 30 minutes per day. You don't have to do all of this exercise at once. You can break it down into smaller sessions throughout the day. Some simple ways to add more exercise into your daily life are to make changes to your normal day.
You could walk or cycle to places instead of driving in the car. Instead of using an escalator or elevator, climb the stairs. Park further away from your destination so you have to walk some or get off the bus or train at an earlier stop.
At the office, try walking around the office occasionally and greet your coworkers. Take your lunch break somewhere outside of the office to get some walking time. Stand up to read emails or do simple tasks like stapling to keep your blood from pooling. Try moving your trash can further away so you have to walk to throw things away.
When you are at home, try adjusting your routines. As you clean, take more frequent small trips to put away clutter rather than doing it all in one trip.
Limit Screen Time and Get Social With Your Activity
You should try to limit your screen time as much as possible. Set a timer for television or video games. When the timer goes off, go for a walk or exercise for a certain amount of time. It could be as simple as 15 minutes, but if you do this several times a day, you can easily reach your exercise goal.
You can also join community groups or gym classes to spend more time with people and get the motivation you need to start exercising and sticking to it. Pair exercise with a healthy, balanced diet full of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. Avoid sugary drinks, saturated fats, and ultra-processed foods.
As your activity levels increase, you'll find that you'll be able to do more than you could before and you can incorporate even more exercise into your routine such as joining sports or going on hikes or weight training.
Exercise has many health benefits including weight loss, stronger muscles, lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and better mental health.
Conclusion: Sedentary Lifestyle
Conclusion: Sedentary Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle poses significant risks to your physical and mental health, including weight gain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and even hormonal imbalances like low testosterone. Taking steps to increase your activity levels can dramatically improve your overall well-being.
Take the Next Step
A sedentary lifestyle can have serious effects on your health, from weight gain and diabetes to hormonal imbalances like low testosterone. But the good news is, it's never too late to take action. By moving more, eating well, and exploring options like TRT, you can reclaim your energy and well-being.
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