One of the images that come to mind when picturing an assisted living facility is people sitting back, relaxing and breathing, while all their needs are attended to.
And you’re right. You and your loved ones do “deserve a premium quality of life experience, enjoying the comforts, luxury, and pleasures that life has to offer, worry-free.”
But at Wellington Estates it doesn’t end with your comfort. We also care about you and your health.
That’s why we’re here to tell you, get up!
Well, that comes across a bit harsh. Let’s rephrase it:
Since we want you to be able to take it easy and enjoy yourself for many years to come, we recommend you track your sitting time and make sure not to overdo it.
Sitting and Your Health
So, just what does sitting have to do with your health, you ask?
Plenty.
A study1 published in the American Journal of Epidemiology on June 26 examined this very question.
Between the years 1993 and 2014, 127,555 men and women were studied regarding their leisure-time sitting. Although none of them suffered from any major chronic diseases at the onset of the study, 48,784 of them passed away by the study’s completion in 2014.
The researchers found that sitting for six or more hours a day (“prolonged leisure-time sitting”) was connected to a host of diseases.
These include:
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular disease
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Diabetes
- Digestive diseases including liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Musculoskeletal disorders mortality
- Nervous disorders
- Parkinson’s disease
- Pneumonitis
- Suicide
Taking Action
So, while taking it easy may be good, too much sedentary time may not be such a good idea. Sedentary behaviors and too much sitting can be dangerous. You need to take action (pun intended).
One way to take action is to move around after an extended period of time. A study2 from 2017 found that “breaking up sedentary time every 30 min may be protective against the health risks incurred by prolonged sedentariness.”
So, take it easy. Sit back, enjoy, relax. Just make sure to break it up every now-and-then. Your body may thank you.
Do you sit for extended periods of time?
Please share in the comments below.
Disclaimer, or Use At Your Own Risk
Wellington Estates does not take any responsibility for this post’s content. Any action you take based on its information is strictly at your own risk. You should always speak to your doctor regarding medical information and your health.
1 Patel, Alpa V., Maret L. Maliniak, Erika Rees-Punia, Charles E. Matthews, and Susan M. Gapstur. “Prolonged leisure-time spent sitting in relation to cause-specific mortality in a large US cohort.” American Journal of Epidemiology (2018).
2 Diaz, Keith M., Virginia J. Howard, Brent Hutto, Natalie Colabianchi, John E. Vena, Monika M. Safford, Steven N. Blair, and Steven P. Hooker. “Patterns of sedentary behavior and mortality in US middle-aged and older adults: a national cohort study.” Annals of Internal Medicine 167, no. 7 (2017): 465-475.