Can Prolonged Sitting Lead To Depression?

It is important for your health to keep moving around – preferably with some pre-planned exercise motions – such as stretches and movement that include your entire skeletal frame. The article provides plenty of evidence that not doing so on a regular basis can be physically and pschologically harmful. But it also provides very helpful suggested exercises you can perform during the day at selected intervals. The author suggested not to remain sitting more that 15 minutes – and vary your exercise routine in a way that you won’t mind them too much.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that intermittent movement is critical for health and longevity, even more so than a regular workout routine. In order to be healthy, you have to get up off your behind—and you have to do it often.

Not only is excessive sitting detrimental to your physical health, but studies show it does nothing good for your mental health either.  Just like the rest of your body, your brain depends on strong blood flow, good oxygenation, and optimal glucose metabolism to work properly.

When you sit, your skeletal muscle fibers aren’t contracting, particularly the large muscles of your lower limbs. When this occurs, they require less fuel, and the surplus glucose accumulates in your bloodstream and contributes to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems.

Women who sat for more than seven hours a day were found to have a 47 percent higher risk of depression than women who sat for four hours or less per day.

Women who didn’t participate in ANY physical activity had a 99 percent higher risk of developing depression than women who exercised. The findings were crystal clear: excessive sitting and lack of exercise resulted in an increase in depression symptoms among middle-aged women.
The easiest strategy is to merely stand up, and then sit back down. But evidence suggests you’d be wise to go a little further—especially if you only exercise a few times a week or not at all. There are plenty of ways to increase your movement at work.

The following videos, featuring Jill Rodriguez, offer a series of helpful intermittent movement beginner and advanced exercises you can do right at your desk. For a demonstration of each technique, please see the corresponding video in the two tables below. I suggest taking a break to do one set of three exercises, anywhere from once every 15 minutes to once per hour.

Technique #1: Standing Neck-Stretch: Hold for 20 seconds on each side.

Technique #2: Shoulder Blade Squeeze: Round your shoulders, then pull them back and pull down. Repeat for 20-30 seconds.

Technique #3: Standing Hip Stretch: Holding on to your desk, cross your left leg over your right thigh and “sit down” by bending your right leg. Repeat on the other side.

Technique #4: The Windmill: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then pivot your feet to the right. Push your hip out to the left. Raising your left arm skyward, and your right arm toward the floor, lower your body toward the floor while looking up, and then raise your torso back to standing position. Repeat on the other side.

Technique #5: Side Lunge: Starting with your feet together, take a medium step sideways, and bend down as if you’re about to sit. Use your arms for balance by reaching out in front of you. Return to starting position, and repeat 10-20 times. Repeat on the other side.

Technique #6: Desk Push-Up: Place hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart on your desk. Come up on your toes to make it easier to tip forward. Do 10 repetitions.

Technique #7: Squat to Chair: With your feet shoulder-width apart, sit down, reaching forward with your hands, and stand back up in quick succession. Do 15-20 repetitions.

Technique #8: Single Leg Dead Lift: Place your right hand on your desk, and place your weight on your right leg. Fold your torso forward, while simultaneously lifting your left leg backward. Do 10 repetitions on each side.

Technique #9: Mountain Climber: Get into a push-up position on the floor. Pull your right knee forward to touch your right wrist or arm, then return to push-up position. Repeat on the other side. Try to pick up the pace, and do 20 quick repetitions.

Standing Neck Stretch Shoulder Blade Squeezes Standing/Seated Hip Stretch
Windmill Side Lunge Push up
Squat to Chair Single Leg Dead Lift Mountain Climber

The following illustrative exercises are very helpful.

#1: Standing Hip Flexor Stretch

#2: Standing Calf Stretch

#3: Standing Inner Thigh Stretch

#4: Standing Back/Buttocks Stretch

#5: Kneeling Lunge Matrix

#6: Hip Flexor, Hamstring, and Quad Stretch

#7: Side Line Twisting Back Stretch

#8: Chest Stretch

#9: Back Butt Stretch

#10: Pole Stretch for the Back

Standing Hip Flexor Stretch Standing Calf Stretch Standing Inner Thigh Stretch
Standing Back/Buttocks Stretch Kneeling Lunge Matrix Hip Flexor, Hamstring, & Quad Stretch
Side Line Twisting Back Stretch Chest Stretch Back Butt Stretch
Pole Stretch for the Back

Article summary

  • It has been established that excess sitting may lead to physical health problems, but studies show it may harm your mental health as well
  • Women who sit more than seven hours per day were found to have a 47 percent higher risk of depression than women who sit four hours or less
  • Government workers who spent more than six hours of their workday sitting experienced more psychological distress than those who sat less than three
  • Children who habitually spend long hours in front of computer or TV screens experience more mental problems, including poor self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and diminished happiness
  • The key to minimizing the effects of sitting is to stand up often, optimally every 15 minutes, and perform a different exercise for 30-60 seconds

You can review the entire informative article by clicking here.
article source: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/08/07/prolonged-sitting-depression.aspx
photo source: Google Images

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