The Sitting Disease: How Your Desk is Slowly Killing You

Today, convenience often trumps health. With technology enabling us to work from anywhere, we find ourselves glued to our chairs for hours. But this sedentary lifestyle comes at a steep price.

A study published in The Lancet (2012) revealed that physical inactivity causes a staggering 5.3 million premature deaths worldwide annually. That's on par with smoking and obesity as significant risk factors for mortality.

If you think hitting the gym a few times a week gives you a free pass to park your butt all day, think again. An Australian study involving 3,300 adults found that sitting for more than 6 hours per day is linked to higher rates of stress and burnout, regardless of your exercise habits.

Also, Harvard Health Publishing warns that excessive sitting leads to muscle loss and decreased mitochondrial activity (the powerhouses of your cells), which causes fatigue and reduced productivity.

The Solution: Exercise Snacks

The good news is that you can fight back against the sitting disease in a very time-efficient and zero-cost way.

The concept of Exercise Snacks is perfect as a break in between or to prepare for “Deep Work” sessions.

About every hour you simply get up and do some push-ups or squats, stretch, or find some stairs you can walk up at a fast pace…

Whatever you have access to will raise your heart rate to the point where you are out of breath. In only 2 to 3 minutes, you have reactivated your body and prevented it from going into hibernation mode.

It’s a bit like moving your cursor or pressing a key when your computer goes into standby mode.

Of course, it takes a bit of effort, but you can manage a 2—to 3-minute break to boost your energy levels, focus, productivity, and overall well-being.

I hope you found this edition interesting and that you enjoy the benefits of increased productivity, focus, and energy!