How Sitting Less Improves Your Metabolic Health
With metabolic syndrome on the rise, you might be wondering what you can do to reduce your risk. Nutrition and exercise are key, but with our increasingly sedentary lifestyles, moving more throughout the day is essential. Let’s explore the link between sitting and metabolic health, and why we must be more mindful of how much we sit as we age.
What Is Metabolic Health?
Metabolic health refers to a range of internal bodily functions. When these functions aren’t operating properly, it increases your risk of cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, and stroke.
Poor nutrition, body mass, physical activity, sleep quality, and other lifestyle habits are vital to keeping metabolic health in check, but we often forget the role of all-day movement.
How Sitting All Day Impacts Metabolic Health?
Circulation slows while seated and slows further with age. If you’re like many adults, you sit 8 or more hours a day at work, while driving or commuting to work, during meals, and in front of the TV at home. Then you go to bed and lie flat all night. So, even if you work out 5 or 6 days a week, your lifestyle may be sedentary.
A sedentary lifestyle:
Disrupts how your body regulates circulation, blood sugar, blood pressure, immunity, and digestion.
Increases your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and chronic disease.
Weakens your bones and muscles, decreases your physical energy levels, and can negatively impact your mood.
Why Blood Circulation Matters?
When your body digests food, the nutrients enter the bloodstream, where they’re circulated throughout your body. The oxygen you inhale into your lungs, and the carbon dioxide you exhale are circulated through your bloodstream.
When your circulation is decreased for any reason, your cells, tissues, and organs don’t receive the oxygen and nutrients your body requires to thrive. Just a little bit of movement circulates energizing oxygen to your brain and body. This is why taking a 10 minute walk after sitting for a few hours energizes you physically and mentally.
Easy Ways to Move Your Body Throughout The Day
Understanding the connection between sitting and metabolic health empowers you to take a proactive approach. Aim to sit less than 8 hours a day, which is harder than it sounds if you work a desk job or are semi- or fully-retired.
Start and end each day with gentle stretches to release tension and boost circulation.
Schedule smartwatch or health app reminders to stand up at least once an hour for at least 2 minutes, ideally 1 or 2 minutes every 15 minutes.
Walk during your 10 minute break, walk for at least 10 minutes during lunch, and stand or move during commercials when watching TV.
Invest in an ergonomic office chair, a convertible sitting/standing desk, and sit on a balance ball at least an hour a day.
Identify little ways to move more, such as walking the dog, cleaning, and playing with the kids.
Complete seated/office stretches and other gentle stretches a few times a day to ease physical tension and improve circulation.
Incorporate circulation-boosting self-care into your daily routine, including massage therapy, steam, sauna, red light therapy, or an Epsom salt bath.
Let’s Discuss the Role of Nutrition for Decreasing Your Risk of Metabolic Syndrome
Increasing your movement throughout the day isn’t enough to improve your metabolic markers. As a registered dietitian, my role is to tailor your meals to support nutrient diversity, weight loss, weight maintenance, and whole-body health. I work with you to create meal plans that are filling and delicious, including the foods and flavors you love.
Reach out to schedule a Comprehensive Health and Lifestyle Assessment!