Are You Sitting Too Much? You May Want to Change That!

By Donna Stark

Unless your career is that of a professional athlete, hair stylist, fitness trainer, chef, or anyone else that must be on their feet all day, the odds that you are sitting too much throughout the day are very, very high. But what exactly are you supposed to do about that? You certainly can't get up and switch careers at a moment's notice, but you also shouldn't sit back and let matters get worse. Well, if you want to do something helpful and productive, you can always listen to the advice of your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic!

Are You Sitting Too Much?

There's a reason why excessive sitting has been labeled the new smoking. It's horrible for your health! Sitting too much at work and then coming home and sitting some more can lead to some serious health issues. Health issues that you will want to avoid. Take a look at a few of them below.

• Back pain - Slumping in your chair, hunching your shoulders forward, and ignoring every piece of advice you received about good posture will put a lot of stress on your back, which will eventually lead to pain
• Sleep deprivation - If your body doesn't expend the energy it needs to throughout the day, you could end up dealing with significant sleep issues
• Digestive and respiratory issues - When your body's major systems are cramped and don't have the room to work, you can expect there will be some major problems to deal with
• Obesity - A sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain, and that is worrisome because those extra pounds can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and frequent illnesses

Start Moving Some More

Now that you can see why sitting has become the new smoking, you may be wondering how to incorporate more movement into your days. Thankfully, your local chiropractors at The Joint Chiropractic have your back! Here are some of their favorite suggestions.

• If possible, walk your kids to school 
• Take a break every hour or so at work to get up, stretch, and move around
• Walk or pace around your office while on the phone
• Skip all the elevators you come to and use the stairs instead
• Put your laptop away and do your shopping in stores
• Walk around the field while your children are at their sports practice
• Suggest a walk through the park instead of your usual coffee dates
• Join a fitness class or meet a friend at the gym

Undoing the Damage

It's never too late to improve your overall health and quality of life, so try to incorporate more movement into your days as soon as you can! And with the tips above, you really shouldn't have any problems doing so!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Waxahachie, Tex.