There is nothing better than the relief of being able to sit down after standing all day, however recent studies show that prolonged standing may be prolonging our lives. Research suggests that the longer you sit the more likely you are to develop diabetes, heart disease and other health conditions. An experiment was done in Sweden sought to prove a link between sitting and life span on an individual. The trial specifically focused on manipulating the amount of sitting each individual did. Now as students who are forced to sit in classes all day this post is not meant to alarm you. The age group most commonly affected by a prolonged sitting period is older men and women, like those who work a 9-5 job in an office. It is in those long sedentary hours that your cells begin to age, leading to future health concerns down the road.
Along the same lines another study claimed “Standing for three hours a day has the same health benefits as 10 marathons a year.” A common misconception is that in order to stay fit you must go to the gym, however doctors aren’t necessarily agreeing. Of course working out at the gym only increases your life span but the small simple actives of even standing up for a second can build up. Dr.Loosemore stated, “people would be entirely wrong to think that small changes, such as standing up more, are pointless.”
So I guess the annoying standing and waiting at the bus stop or in a line turns out to benefit us after all. To think about all the hours we spend standing through out college, whether it be at parties or at sporting events its bound to add up. I found both of these studies fascinating as even the most minuscule changes to the participant’s average routine tended to make a difference. I guess it couldn’t hurt to air on the side of caution and sit a little less and live a little more.
Work Cited
Reynolds, Gretchen. “Sit Less, Live Longer?” The New York Times. The New York Times, 17 Sept. 2014. Web. 17 Sept. 2014.
Macrae, Fiona. “Standing for Three Hours a Day Has ‘the Same Health Benefits as 10 Marathons a Year’, Says Leading Doctor.” Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, 21 June 2014. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.
Photo Link: http://www.thebestnotary.net/how-to-find-a-mobile-notary-after-hours/
I think that this is a very interesting topic to look at. It really makes you think about getting up and moving around, while teenagers tend to spend most of their time sitting. While you have shown that standing up is good for you, I found an article that explains why walking can be even better. It is not only important that you stand up, but it is even more important that you move around.
That’s weird. I always thought prolonged standing was bad for your health (as well as prolonged sitting…pretty much prolonged anything actually). Here’s an article that discusses the benefits of standing: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/five-health-benefits-standing-desks-180950259/?no-ist
There is a slight of truth to the theory. However that doesn’t mean I’m just going to stand for the most of my life. It will definitely make me think about instead of sitting waiting for the bus, just standing.