More than half of the population spends more than 6 hours a day sitting. Many people do not realize that this seemingly benign activity can be life-threatening. Sitting too much not only causes dark butt and belly fat but can also cause long-term effects on the body's health.
1. Sitting too much causes weak legs and gluteal muscles
When you sit all day, you do not need to use your lower body. Although it is a strong muscle, if not used, it will lead to muscle atrophy, which means that your lower body muscles will gradually weaken. If the leg and gluteal muscles are not strong enough to keep your body stable, you are at high risk of injury during daily activities.
2. Weight gain
Moving and exercising will stimulate your muscles to release molecules such as lipoprotein lipase, which helps process the fat and sugar you have consumed. According to research, when you spend most of your day sitting and being inactive, the release of these molecules will decrease, and your lower body is at risk of becoming larger due to fat accumulation. You are also at higher risk of metabolic syndrome, even if you start exercising. One study found that men who spend more time sitting than usual have more belly fat. Meanwhile, the middle part of the body is where the most dangerous fat is stored.
3. Hip, back pain and stiff shoulders and neck
Like the leg and gluteal muscles, your hips and back will be affected when you sit too much. Sitting causes the hip muscles flexion too much and can also cause back pain, especially if you sit in the wrong position or do not use a specialized work chair (ergonomic chair). Furthermore, poor sitting posture can put pressure on the discs in the spine and lead to early degeneration, creating chronic pain.
Similarly, your shoulders and neck will also be affected when sitting for a long time, especially when you often bend over to look at a computer screen.
4. Anxiety and depression
In addition to the physical effects, sitting all day also causes mental effects that few people know about. Especially in people who sit a lot, the risk of both depression and anxiety is quite high. The reason may be that people who spend all day sitting and are inactive will lose the mental health benefits of exercise. If this is the real reason, people who sit a lot can reduce their risk by getting more physical activity.
5. Cancer risk
Recent studies have shown that sitting a lot can increase the risk of several types of cancer, including lung, uterine and colon cancer. However, the cause of this link is still unclear.
6. Heart disease
Sitting a lot can damage the heart, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. One study found that men who spent more than 23 hours a week watching TV had a 64% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than men who watched only 11 hours of TV. Experts say that people who sit a lot have a 147% higher risk of heart attack or stroke.
7. Diabetes Risk
People who spend a lot of time sitting also have a 112% higher risk of diabetes. In a study looking at the effects of five days of bed rest, researchers saw an increase in insulin resistance — prediabete.
8. Varicose veins
Sitting for long periods can cause blood to pool in the legs, leading to varicose veins or spider veins (a smaller type of vein) in the long run. Although this condition is generally harmless, the swollen and prominent veins on the skin can be unsightly. In rare cases, varicose veins can lead to more serious conditions, such as vein thrombosis.
9. Deep vein thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis is a type of blood clot that most commonly occurs in the legs. When part of this blood clot breaks off, blood flow to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, can be blocked, causing a pulmonary embolism. This is a medical emergency that can lead to major complications or even death.
10. Deep buttocks
In addition to the health problems mentioned above, many people are also concerned about what to do if they sit too much and get dark buttocks. The buttocks are also called “the buttocks” because they are supposed to sit, but the skin in this area is thin and sensitive, easily affected by negative external influences, causing the skin pigmentation to become dark, calloused and dry. In the hot season, sweat is secreted a lot, sometimes the buttocks also have bumps and acne. There are two main ways to solve this problem:
- One is to use high technology to treat dark buttocks, bringing high efficiency in a short time. However, the disadvantage is high cost and can cause darkening again.
- The second way is to take care of the skin properly, use skin care products specifically for dark buttocks every day, combined with limiting sitting time, choosing a comfortable chair and good quality clothes. This method gives slower results but is more reasonable and safer.
In short, sitting a lot is as dangerous to health as other bad habits. Over time, the habit of sitting all day and inactive will cause many physical and aesthetic problems, as well as greatly affect movement.
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Reference source: healthline.com
