Are you stuck in a chair for hours every day? Perhaps you have to be there for work purposes, but if not, you are not doing yourself any favors! I can assure you that prolonged sitting is really bad for your health, but can sitting too long cause cancer?
Yes, sitting for long periods of time can increase your risk of cancer. In fact, some people are now referring to sitting as the new smoking. The problem with sitting too much is that it can lead to some serious issues, and includes a higher risk of developing cancer.
Can Sitting Too Long Cause Cancer
To be perfectly clear, sitting too long doesn’t actually cause cancer, but increases your risk of some cancers.
The reason is, that sitting for long hours means reduced physical activity, and this can cause weight gain or obesity which can lead to a higher risk of cancer.
Physical activities help you lose weight, improve your digestion and metabolism, relieve your stress, and promote a healthy immune response, whereas sitting all day doesn’t. Therefore, when you’re physically active, you reduce your risk of developing cancer, which is a great benefit.
How Prolonged Sitting Can Lead to Cancer
Humans are built to stand upright. Your heart and cardiovascular system work more effectively that way. Your bowel also functions more efficiently when you are upright. It is common for people who are bedridden in hospital to experience problems with their bowel function.
Better Health
Here are a few ways sitting too much can become dangerous to your health.
Slows Your Metabolism
Sitting for long hours can slow down your metabolism, making your body less efficient at regulating blood sugar levels and breaking down fats. This can lead to insulin resistance and inflammation, which are known risk factors for developing cancer. If your metabolism is disrupted it can create an environment for cancer cells to grow.
Increases Your Insulin Resistance
When you’re sitting for long periods, your muscles’ state of inactivity increases. This can affect the transport and oxidation of fatty acids in your muscle tissue, and increase levels of glucose, insulin, and triglycerides in the body. Eventually, it can lead to insulin resistance. Sustained high insulin levels may also directly stimulate the growth of certain types of cancer cells.
Increases Inflammation
Being sedentary can increase levels of inflammation in your body because if you don’t move around much it can slow down your blood circulation and hamper the production of certain chemicals needed for body functioning.
Chronic inflammation is known as a key factor in the development of many diseases, including cancer. Inflammatory molecules released by fat cells and immune cells, are what can promote tumor growth and progression.
Your Hormones Can Become Imbalanced
Prolonged sitting can cause an imbalance in your hormone levels. For example, sitting for long periods has been associated with alterations in estrogen metabolism, which may increase the risk of hormone-related cancers.
Can Cause Poor Circulation
Sitting for an extended time can lead to poor circulation, which can impair your body’s ability to flush out toxins. When toxins and waste products stick around for too long, they can contribute to cancer development.
Increases Your Body Fat
Prolonged sitting can lead to not-so-good changes in body composition, including increased fat mass and decreased muscle mass. It can lead to excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, which is linked to an increased risk of cancer.
How to Avoid the Dangers of Prolonged Sitting
Reducing sedentary behavior and incorporating more physical activity into your life can help prevent many illnesses and diseases, including cancer.
Here are some ways to combat the dangers of prolonged sitting.
Take Regular Breaks and Get Up and Move
Prompt yourself to take a break from sitting every hour. It can be just a short break, like standing up to stretch or walking around for a few minutes. Look for opportunities to add movement throughout your day too.
For example, when you take a break walk around the office or up some stairs. Or do some simple exercises such as stretching and bending. You could also consider using a standing desk or a desk converter, which will allow you to alternate between sitting and standing while working.
This can help reduce the amount of time you spend sitting and encourage you to move more throughout the day. Pay attention to your posture too! If you sit or stand correctly it will help to reduce strain that is put on your muscles and joints.
In Summary
Prolonged sitting can have a huge impact on your health, and a lack of physical activity and the negative changes in your body that it can cause can lead to cancer.
That’s why it is important for you to get physically active and minimize any sedentary behavior to reduce your risk of developing cancer and other health problems. By making some changes to your routine, you can improve your overall health and well-being now and in the future!