Sedentary lifestyle: what dangers does it have on our physical and psychological health?

In recent decades, the lifestyle we lead has undergone major changes. Our quality of life has increased, we enjoy more comforts, and tasks that used to require great effort have become easy thanks to technology. On the other hand, the introduction of screens in our daily lives has made us less prone to socializing and going abroad.

This has led to a much lower level of physical activity, to the point that many people spend their entire day sitting in front of a computer without even complying with the minimum recommendations of the World Health Organization regarding the motion. A sedentary lifestyle is not the best ally for our health. In fact, a lifestyle without movement is associated with different risks for our physical and mental state. In this article we will talk about them.

• We recommend you read: "How to enjoy sport without suffering from the results?"

What do we understand by sedentary lifestyle?

The truth is that there is no specific definition of what a sedentary lifestyle is. In general terms, this could be considered as the absence of physical activity practiced on a regular basis.

In the case of Europe, it is estimated that more than half of the population leads an inactive life, with insufficient movement to meet the minimum requirements for good health.

If you are thinking that an active life is synonymous with spending the day in the gym, you are wrong. The truth is that with half an hour of moderate-intensity exercise a day, considerable benefits can already be obtained, improving mental health and reducing the risk of suffering different pathologies such as diabetes, obesity or different types Of cancer. Added to this, habitual movement helps keep the locomotor system fit, improving physical capacity and functioning in young and old.

As we already anticipated, the lifestyle that most of us lead has become markedly sedentary. Industrialization and computerization have significantly reduced the physical effort that humans must perform in different jobs and processes. Today, there are many people who are engaged in office jobs, in which there is no physical requirement. Teleworking has even eliminated commuting, significantly reducing movement options throughout the day.

Dangers of a sedentary lifestyle for physical and mental health

The truth is that a sedentary lifestyle implies a series of risks for physical and mental health. Next, we will discuss some of them.

1. Cardiovascular disease risk

When a person leads a sedentary life, their risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease, as well as suffering from arterial hypertension, increases significantly.

2. Early death

It is estimated that people who lead a sedentary life have a 20% higher probability of dying prematurely. In other words, not being physically active can reduce life expectancy.

3. difficult menopause

Menopause is defined as a physiological period in a woman's life in which important hormonal changes take place. This leads to the interruption of menstruation, although this process is usually progressive. Typically, menstruation is associated with symptoms such as hot flashes, weight gain, loss of libido, irregular periods, night sweats, etc. Although all women experience this situation inevitably, it seems that those with an active lifestyle live this transition in a lighter way, while those who lead a sedentary life tend to have more intense symptoms.

4. Sleep disorders

A sedentary life can also interfere with the quality of our rest. Generally, inactivity during the day can lead to problems falling asleep properly at night..

5. high stress levels

A life without movement is often linked to higher levels of stress. Physical exercise is the best natural anxiolytic, since it allows us to disconnect, release energy and substances in the body that improve our general state of mind. Giving up these moments of movement can make us more vulnerable to stress, especially at times when we are going through a challenge or difficulty.

6. Lethargy

An active life allows us to stay motivated, with strength and energy to face whatever comes our way. On the contrary, a sedentary lifestyle tends to make us more lethargic, listless and lazy. Once we enter the spiral of inactivity, everything tends to be uphill, we find it more difficult to find the desire to do things, fulfill our activities, go out, etc.

7. Isolation

When we exercise, we tend to be more open to going outside, socializing and staying active. However, a sedentary lifestyle can damage our mental health, since it promotes isolation. If we do not carry out any type of activity, it is easy to fall into the spiral of staying at home, increasingly avoiding going out, planning, meeting....

8. Obesity

Lack of exercise can contribute to the development of obesity. This can be linked to different health problems derived from excess weight.

How to implement a more active lifestyle

Perhaps when reading these lines you feel identified with a sedentary lifestyle. If you think that you are not moving enough and you would like to have more activity on a daily basis, here are some keys that can help you improve in this regard.

1. Walk whenever possible

It is possible that you are resorting to the car in situations in which it is perhaps not necessary. Many times, comfort makes us travel short and affordable distances on foot in some type of transport, which reduces our movement throughout the day. If you don't live far from your job, it may help to walk that distance to the office. This will also allow you to enjoy some fresh air and reduce polluting emissions to the environment..

2. Stretch and pause

If you work many hours in front of the computer, it is possible that you end the day stiff. Improving your mobility is possible if you take breaks from time to time and take advantage of that moment to do some stretching.

3. rediscover movement

Many people associate movement with doing intense workouts. However, this does not have to be like this. If you don't consider yourself someone who loves exercise, you may simply not have located what you enjoy. Movement cannot only be achieved by going to the gym, it is also possible through dancing, walking with your pet or hiking through nature. Think about what suits you best and give it a try.

4. If you have little time, do routines at home

Many people claim not to move because they don't have time to. It is true that many times making time for sports is complicated when we have many responsibilities during the day. Although the ideal is to exercise outside, it may help you to do some quick routines from home. To do this you can search the internet or use different apps.

5. Give rest the importance it deserves

Maintaining an active lifestyle does not mean spending the day non-stop. Exercising is incompatible with the absence of rest, so setting aside time to know how to take a break and recharge your batteries is essential. Rest allows you to compose yourself to maintain energy and motivation. Without rest, excessive movement ceases to be beneficial and becomes as damaging an agent as a sedentary lifestyle itself.

6. Tune up your home

As we already discussed, exercising is possible in many ways. When there is a lack of time, turning everyday tasks into a movement opportunity is a great idea. The best example is found in housework. Although it may not seem like it a priori, cleaning, ordering and taking care of your space at home is a way of moving. In addition, having your house in order will also give you a lot of mental serenity.

conclusions

In this article we have talked about some risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. The lack of movement in daily life is linked to dangers for the physical and mental state. However, changes in society have only increased the tendency of people to be inactive and isolated. Currently, more than half of the European population does not meet the recommended minimums in matter of physical exercise, which translates into greater risks to the health of society in its set.

A lack of regular exercise and movement can increase the risk of premature death, mental health problems, sleep disorders, high stress levels, isolation, obesity, etc.. In this situation, it is advisable to adopt some measures to start having a more active lifestyle. An example of this could be walking whenever possible when going to work, stretching from time to time while sitting, looking for ways to of movement according to our tastes, knowing how to rest, doing exercise routines at home if there is little free time and doing homework domestic.