The Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle for Women

As we progress further into the 21st century, doctors are learning more about sedentary lifestyle risks. This applies to everyone, but some risks are associated more with women than men. It’s crucial that you understand what those are so you can make any needed changes in your life.

The sedentary lifestyle is one that you can avoid if you make a conscious effort to do so. Let’s look at the dangers that doctors and nutritionists associate with this lifestyle in women.

Understanding the Sedentary Lifestyle

Before we talk about the specific conditions women need to be aware of, we should define the sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary means an inactive person, and particularly one who spends a lot of time sitting down.

Individuals should get up and move around for 30 minutes per day, several times every week. That might involve:

Walking briskly
Jogging
Bike riding
Taking an exercise class at the gym

Aerobic activity is best, where you can get the heart pumping and the blood flowing. However, even if you do those things, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. You’re in the most danger, doctors say when you have a job where you sit at a desk for many hours.

Cancer Risks

Women who are more sedentary have a higher risk of contracting several different cancer types. Those include:

Breast cancer
Uterine cancer
Colon cancer

If you’re a woman who has breast cancer history in your family, it is particularly harmful if you live a sedentary lifestyle. You need to attempt to find a job where you won’t be sitting behind a computer as much. At the very least, you need to break up the day by walking around the office, stretching, or finding some other way to increase your mobility.

Obesity

If you’re sedentary, then you also have a higher chance of weight gain. Being overweight or obese taxes the joints. You will not be able to get around as easily, which can lead to significant issues the older you get.

You might have to get knee replacements before you get to retirement age. Your risk of high blood pressure rises, the more you weigh. You can also throw in a higher chance of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

Any of those can be fatal, but heart disease is particularly insidious. You might be unaware that you have it, but it contributes to many untimely deaths.

Anxiety and Depression

It might surprise some women to learn that their chances of depression and anxiety are higher if they remain sedentary for much of their days. Emotional health improves when you are active. It’s not a coincidence that you feel an endorphin rush when you do something like running or taking an exercise class.

On the flip side of that, if you’re indoors all day, sitting behind a desk, you’re more likely to have season affective disorder. This is where you feel unduly sad during the dark, cold months of the year.

You can avoid it by sticking to a rigorous exercise routine year-round. It’s a natural way to get yourself out of a negative mindset.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is another risk of being sedentary for women. Decreased bone mass is more of an issue with older individuals, but you get a jump on it by not exercising and sitting all day.

If your bones are brittle, that means you’re more likely to fall. The condition harms your balance, and the more falls you take, the better your chance of serious injury. A physical activity increase is your best way to combat this.

Fighting back against a sedentary lifestyle will take a combination of several factors. You need to commit to exercising several times a week. Even if that means walking around outside during your lunch hour, that’s an excellent start.

You can also try to set up your workspace so that it is as ergonomic as possible. You need a comfortable chair and desk, ones that won’t cause you to hunch over as you work. If you feel like you need new furniture, don’t hesitate to talk to your superiors about it.

A proper diet is part of the equation, and you should certainly avoid too much snacking between meals. If that’s a part of your routine, go with healthy snacks like raw vegetables or fruit.

Avoiding being sedentary is something you should work on every day. Don’t ever sit for too many hours at a stretch, and team up with your coworkers for support.