Sitting is the New Smoking: How Sitting is Bad for Long-term Health

I have a test for you.

Do it now.

See how softly and slowly you can lower yourself to the floor into a cross-legged position without any support. Once you are there, see if you can stand up again using as little support from your hands on the floor or on your knees as possible.

It’s harder than you think. The ability to do this has a direct relationship to your long term health. Most of us lack the hip mobility and strength to do this simple exercise. The sad reason is nothing at all, or rather, doing nothing. Many of us will sit for nine hours a day. The more sitting we do, the worse it is for our overall health.

Studies show that sitting for a whole day will take about two hours off your life. While smoking a cigarette will only take 11 minutes. In fact, the average smoker tends to be in better health because they will repeatedly walk 10 minutes multiple times a day to go somewhere to smoke!

Sitting is the new smoking. How sad!

I am committed to doing three things this year, and I encourage you to do the same.

1. Standing Desk 

 I refuse to sit at my desk throughout the entire workday, I will begin by standing for 20 minutes at a time and adding 10 minutes each week until I can go the whole day without sitting.

2. Soft Tissue Foam Rolling 

You should not have any pain while applying pressure from a foam roller. I am committed to 15 minutes a day of foam rolling in the evening before bed.

3. Posture 

 Proper posture is not a matter of etiquette but of health, I am committed to consciously checking my posture each time I look at my phone. The positive health effects of proper posture are astounding.

Let’s be healthier this year than ever before.

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