Sure excessive sitting can be unhealthy, but so can excessive sleeping, or ANYTHING in excess. The fact is we have to sit sometimes, like we often do at work. But sometimes we sit to do things that ARE beneficial for us: meditation, eating, reading. At the end of the day, it’s all about living with balance. Sometimes we sit. Sometimes we stand.
You can counteract the effects of sitting with exercise, yoga, movement, plus a good diet, sleep, water, etc. But there is little that can be done to reverse the effects of extended periods of smoking.
I keep coming across this comparison when I start developing new ideas for Desk Yogi. I did some research around this notion and found a really apt quote:
“the conundrum of what empowers us to live longer and in better health every year is much more complex than the single act of sitting versus standing…Our problem is not that we sit. Our problem is we don’t understand what it means (and takes) to be fit or why that is important.” — Carey Goldberg
It’s quite simple — if you sit for most of the day, take occasional breaks to move, stretch, or walk around. If you are stressed, take a break and meditate for a few minutes and focus on your breath, or focus on taking care of yourself in the moment. Smoking and the brutal effect it has on your life far outweighs the dangers of sitting.
Keep sitting. Keep moving. Don’t smoke.
PS: Here are some helpful articles I found about sitting is not the new smoking:
This article looks closely at the fact that sitting is often compared to something as dangerous as smoking: http://commonhealth.legacy.wbur.org/2013/10/sitting-not-new-smoking
If you want to read more about “sitting is NOT the new smoking” read this article: https://therussells.crossfit.com/2016/09/30/fit-then-sitting-is-not-the-new-smoking/
Originally published at medium.com