Health risks of an inactive lifestyle |
Stationary movements such as using electronic devices, viewing TV programs, playing video games, and working long hours at the table. Furthermore, transportation involves mostly sitting positions, examples include driving cars, sitting on buses, and taking trains. These modern comforts increased our inactivity. It has several threats to your overall well-being no doubt, lets check out which and how to take care of it.
What is an inactive lifestyle?
An inactive lifestyle is nothing but a way of living with very less or no physical activities. This generally includes long periods of sitting or simply lying down, it can be because of work, or travel, without regular exercise or movements. Its example can include sitting at a desk all day and spending hours watching TV or using devices for long stretches.
In the long run, an inactive lifestyle can lead to several health issues such as obesity heart disease, diabetes and back pain.
I have listed here some genuine information about the risk of an inactive lifestyle you must read and understand it for your overall wellbeing.
Signs You May Be Living an Inactive Lifestyle:
Prolonged Sitting
Many of us used to be seated at work for long hours, in front of the TV or using any digital devices
Lack of Energy
Feelings of fatigue constantly or lacking motivation into any work to engage in physical activities.
Weight Gain
Gradually increase in weight due to lack of movements and slower metabolism.
Stiffness and Aches
Frequent muscle stiffness especially in the back, neck and shoulders from sitting too long.
Poor Posture
Slouching or hunching over due to extended periods of inactivity.
Shortness of Breath
Feelings of exertion after minimal physical activities such as climbing stairs or walking short distances.
Low Muscle Tone
A slow but visible loss of strength or endurance in the muscles.
Increased Stress
Lack of physical activity can contribute to higher stress and anxiety levels.
Frequent Back Pain
A sedentary lifestyle often leads to chronic back pain and poor spinal health.
Slow Metabolism
Digestive problems or a lethargic feeling following a meal from not moving around.
If you notice these signs in you then there are risk of an inactive lifestyle associated with you.
List of Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle |
List of health risks of an inactive lifestyle:
Obesity:
The widespread health risk of an inactive lifestyle is obesity. It can ultimately take you to various health issues. When you do not do any physical exercise your body burns fewer calories per minute. As a result, additional pounds are gained. It will also wreck your good looks after being overweight and also raises the risk of diabetes, heart issues even cancer and more.
Cardiovascular Diseases:
A sedentary lifestyle generally leads to weight gain, which can increase your blood pressure. High blood pressure forces the heart to work harder, leading to heart disease and stroke.
The probability of type 2 diabetes certainly increases with an inactive lifestyle. When you are inactive, your body becomes more prone to acquiring weight and developing insulin resistance, which increases blood sugar levels.
It becomes hard to control normal blood sugar levels. The fact that your bodies struggle to maintain appropriate blood sugar levels as a result of prolonged sitting and little to no exercise may raise your risk of acquiring diabetes.
That is why you need to move more and have a good walk of about 1000 steps and more daily. This has chance of helping to reduce the symptoms of type 2 diabetes gradually. Diabetes is one of the worst diseases on the list of health risks of an inactive lifestyle.
Musculoskeletal Problems :
Musculoskeletal diseases that occur because of inactive lifestyles are truly hard to understand but have been proven by studies. Spending too much time sitting or lying down can lead to muscle tension, stiff joints, and lower flexibility of the corresponding body parts.
It should be taken into account that elderly people are especially vulnerable to joint diseases because of decreased bone density and joint damage provoked by a lack of physical activity.
To retain musculoskeletal health, you should designate regular exercises and activities as an important part of your routine. So, let's make the conscious decision to keep your bodies active and healthy!
Type 2 Diabetes :
An inactive lifestyle can also become the main reason for a growing number of cases of type 2 diabetes. Lack of exercise may lead to you being overweight or suffering from the problem of insulin resistance, and then controlling your blood sugar level gets more difficult.
Human beings experience the consequences of poor blood sugar level control when they spend too much time sitting and working out. This is why we have to be careful about doing the same sort of physical activity and changing positions more often to prevent type 2 diabetes.
Mental Health Issues:
We all know that an active lifestyle has advantages for your mental and physical health as well. Long-term inactivity indeed has a bad effect on you. Stress, anxiety, and melancholy usually celebrate on their tables when people do not engage in physical activity.
To trigger endorphins in your body the easiest way is to exercise and move more. Neurotransmitter functions when you exercise and after the release of endorphins, it reduces your stress and anxiety. Additionally, it triggers your emotions of happiness and good mood.
Sleep Disorders:
Sleeping disorders like insomnia and disruptive sleeping patterns are caused by an inactive lifestyle. Regular physical activity manages the sleep-wake cycle perfectly. Such activities lead to longer and deeper sleep.
Difficulty in falling asleep, insomnia, or waking up feeling tired despite sufficient sleep is observed very often in the sleep problems of inactive people. The health risks of an inactive lifestyle will not reduce until you start moving and caring about your health.
Reduced Lifespan:
A considerable number of studies have revealed that the incursion of a sedentary or inactive lifestyle in an individual's life increases their risk of earlier death. An inactive lifestyle becomes the leading cause of mortality from all types of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer. On the other hand, regular physical activity can produce both the results of living longer and sustaining longevity.
Practical Ideas to get rid of the risks of an inactive lifestyle:
Set Realistic Goals:
Start by setting reachable targets for yourself, regardless of whether it is a brisk walk at lunchtime, a bike to work, or signing up for a fitness class. Progressively increase the vigor and length of your exercise as your strength and endurance improve. And it will help in reducing the Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle.
Find Activities You Enjoy:
Pick up activities that give you joy and fulfilment it could be swimming, dancing, hiking, or playing as a team player. The key is to make yourself smile and find the motivation to be physically engaged.
Incorporate Movement into Your Day:
Consider more ways to keep moving all day long by taking the stairs rather than a ride on the elevator, going to your destination a bit further than you usually do, or cleaning and gardening at home.
Make Exercise a Priority:
Try making exercise part of your daily or weekly routine and keep it like a not-to-be-skipped appointment. You cannot break it for any reason. Continuity is a very important factor for the person who is just starting to do physical activity to see persistent results and imbibe the benefits of doing it. If you want to get rid of the Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle and want to improve overall health then be consistent.
Listen to Your Body:
Pay attention to the sensations that your body is giving you while you train, and once you are done training. In case you feel any pain or discomfort, then try to modify the activities or consult either a healthcare expert or a fitness instructor.
Stay Hydrated and Fuel Your Body:
Drink sufficient water and fill yourself up with nutritious foods to overcome the hazards of an inactive lifestyle. Drinking sufficient water and having balanced meals help you preserve good health, provide energy, and make your sedentary lifestyle less harmful to your welfare.
Get Adequate Rest and Recovery:
Provide your body with the time it needs to heal and rebuild after workouts to avoid injuries and increase your lean muscle development. Include rest periods in your workout routine and ensure optimal sleep quality to maintain your fitness and general health at the highest level.
The Bottom Line:
Health Risks of an Inactive Lifestyle are manifold and alarming. Besides the increased risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, the effect of physical inactivity on mental health and general well-being is also dire. Hence, finding time and dedication for regular physical activity should be one of the most important health goals for everybody, as it ensures good health and avoids many preventable diseases.
F.A.Qs
How does inactivity increase your risk?
Either way, you can lose your mental and physical health by not being active, and this can further advance problems with your bodily functions in the long run. If you are not exercising then surely your body will feel sick and overweight and your cardiovascular health will also decline. After some time diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease health issues can occur cause of an inactive lifestyle.
The body will then be under stress, and there is a chance for these negative feelings to make the present healthcare issues worse. Regular physical activity is one of the most important features of being fit and preventing major diseases.
What are the 3 risks of inactivity?
The side effects of an inactive lifestyle are obesity, a greater chance of type 2 diabetes, and a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. These health hazards re-establish the need for daily physical exercises to maintain good health and well-being.