Call 708-350-4767 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call 708-350-4767 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

A Surprising Way to Add Years to Your Life

Posted by Tina Konieczki, July 14, 2021

We all want to stay healthy and live a long and fulfilling life, and the internet is full of advice and tips on how to do so. But aside from a healthy diet, preventive medical care, and regular exercise, what else can you do to stay healthy? The answer might surprise you.

Lately researchers have focused on sitting as a predictor of health risks. Yes, that’s right; the simple act of sitting – or what they call “sedentary activity” – predicts more about your health than you might think. This is even true for people who otherwise schedule exercise sessions of 30 minutes or more per day.

According to the National Institutes of Health, the average person sits for 9 to 10 hours every day. As you might expect, that number often grows as we get older. The danger of sitting lies not simply in lack of exercise, but in the specific biological activity that occurs within your body during sedentary activity.

Researchers have pinpointed higher levels of triglycerides, blood sugar, and C-reactive proteins in those who engage in more sedentary activity. These health markers are linked to inflammation, and ultimately type 2 diabetes, high blood cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome.

Yes, this is even true for those who schedule regular exercise sessions. In just one day of inactivity, the cellular processes that break down dangerous fats in the blood begin to slow. “Good” cholesterol in the blood, which helps to control “bad” cholesterol, begins to decline. From there, the negative health effects can begin to multiply.

What can you do to avoid too much sitting?

  • Set a timer and remember to get up and walk around, even briefly
  • Use a standing desk instead of sitting, for emailing, using social media, or online shopping
  • Go for a walk after meals
  • Avoid long periods of TV time and schedule other activities throughout the day
  • Choose hobbies that encourage movement, like gardening
  • Join community groups that help you to stay active, and make friends with active people
  • Avoid driving whenever possible; walking, biking, and even public transit encourage more exercise (you’ll have to walk to bus stops, for example)

Finally, too much sedentary activity can be both a symptom of depression and a contributor to it.  This can be a cycle that becomes difficult to break. If you suspect you might be depressed, talk to your doctor about the treatments or preventive steps available to you.

Need more information on your insurance options?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close