Sitting Side Effects: Sitting or sleeping for long periods of time can seriously affect your heart health. A recent study found that sitting for 10.6 hours or more a day may increase your risk of death from heart disease, even if you exercise daily.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital analyzed data from the fitness trackers of nearly 90,000 British people. These devices recorded their activities for seven days. These researchers found that the average person sits for about 9.4 hours per day.
What did the researchers find?
When the participants’ cardiovascular health was analyzed about eight years later, it was found that more than 10.6 hours of inactivity increased the risk of death from heart attack and stroke. This risk was also seen in people who did 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week.
What is the expert’s opinion?
“Our findings suggest that reducing sedentary time is important for maintaining cardiovascular health,” said study co-author Shaan Khurshid. They suggested that 10.6 hours of sedentary time could be a limit, beyond which the risk of heart disease increases.
Brown University’s Dr. Says that even 30 minutes of exercise will be beneficial. People overestimate their exercise time and underestimate their sitting time, said Charles Eaton in a commentary published with Richter. They recommend that even just 30 minutes of light activity (such as walking) can reduce the risk of heart disease.
The findings were published in the “Journal of the American College of Cardiology” and presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024. This is a clear message for heart health: stay active and reduce sedentary time.
