According to JustStand.org, we spend anywhere from 7.7 to 15 hours sitting down every day. Furthermore, people who sat for hours with their legs crossed increased their risk of death by a whopping 40 percent, according to a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine. Scary, right?
Although the solution may seem simple – stop sitting down – it’s much easier said than done since more of us are performing sedentary desk jobs. Sitting for long periods of time can lead to obesity and other serious health issues. Health authorities warn that prolonged sitting in general “is the new smoking.” This has led to a surge in the popularity of standing desks, enabling people to work while standing, and apps that alert you when you’ve been sitting too long.
But don’t just take our word for it, here are five ways your desk/sitting at-home job is seriously jeopardizing your health.
When you cross your legs, you’re putting unnecessary pressure on the veins in your legs, especially the ones underneath your knees. What’s the big deal? This restricts the blood flow, causing your heart to work twice as hard.
Obviously, crossing your legs leads to reduced blood flow so it makes perfect sense that it would cause poor leg circulation. Symptoms include leg cramps, numbness, tingling, and blood clots, which can be dangerous, deadly even. When you think of late rapper Heavy D who died of complications from deep vein thrombosis after being on a plane for a number of hours and no circulation — it’s serious.
In men, crossing legs while wearing pants raises the temperature of the groin, leading to the suggestion that would-be fathers should not cross their legs.
Several studies have revealed that crossing a leg while sitting can cause spinal deformities including scoliosis. Another study carried out in 2016 showed that cross-legged sitting leads to a bent and asymmetrical posture, and is more pronounced in patients with lower back pain. Consequently, poor posture resulting from prolonged cross-legged sitting can slow down digestion and increase stress.
Of course, genetics play a role in whether or not you have varicose veins, but poor leg circulation can increase your chances. Are varicose veins dangerous? No, but they can be rather unsightly. Do yourself a favor and uncross those legs!
In addition to taking regular breaks to get up and walk around, always sit with your feet flat on the ground, keep your back straight and make sure your shoulders are relaxed and your arms are rested on the arms of your chair.
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