We belong to the “Tech Age” where the magic happens at the tap of a finger. It has made our lives easier but it has led us to a sedentary lifestyle, everything good comes with a hidden bad. You’ll be sitting in a beautiful bubble of procrastination while others will rejoice the finishing prize of the race.

“Sitting is the new smoking.” It’s an addiction which develops slowly and silently. While sitting down all day may seem harmless, you may be surprised by the negative impact it has on your health. Especially in the recent decades, the population has become increasingly sedentary, with many adults spending 70% or more of their waking hours sitting. Research suggests that only 21 per cent of adults are meeting the physical activity guidelines, while less than 5 per cent perform 30 minutes of physical activity per day. The American Academy of Pediatrics counsels parents to limit children’s screen time—television, DVDs, and video games—to no more than 2 hours per day.

You never realize the presence of the “Sitting disease” unless you have foes disguised as family knocking on your front door. There is Mother Obesity, Father Cholesterol, Brother Stroke and Sister Diabetes; who will eventually tuck you to bed, in a cosy casket for eternity even before you realize.

Research published in 2010 proves that there are several adverse effects such as:

• Low energy expenditure

• Slower metabolism

• Cardiovascular diseases

• Compromised posture

• Back and spine injuries

• Reduced social skills

• Loneliness or depression

• Metabolic Syndrome

• Chronic Pain

………. to name a few.

Another study analyzed data collected over 15 years and found that sedentary lifestyles were associated with an increased risk of early death regardless of physical activity levels and mental health disorders.

Stare at a donkey long enough and it also looks beautiful. Time flies fast but goes by faster while binge-watching three seasons straight of “Friends”, driving across the city, finger-licking the last pack of fiery Cheetos, typing the never-ending presentation your boss asked you, writing those thousand-page assignments, finishing the last bottle of Pinot Noir in the cellar, scrolling through posts of people turned bakers and artists or by simply staring at the whitewashed walls.

It doesn’t matter if you sit but whether you get up or not. Fixing this might seem like gargantuan efforts at first but it’s all worth it at the end considering the welfare it gets along. Start with something simple initially. Walk to the grocery store instead of ordering it online, who knows you might meet a school mate along the way. Take the stairs instead of waiting for the stuck lift. Get on those running shoes and watch the beautiful sunrise, I promise it will be worth it. Start gardening – who wouldn’t want to wake up to a beautiful inflorescence. The American Heart Association considers general gardening to be in the category of moderate-intensity physical activity. Get up and walk around during television commercials. Invest in a standing desk at the workplace. Every drop makes an ocean.

So go clean your messy rooms, organize your wardrobe, sweep those floors, put the clothes out to dry, hear the cuckoo sing, catch up on your Mom’s gossip, experiment in the kitchen and watch your family turn into food critics, make life long memories with your siblings, call those long-forgotten friends, read something new, learn the unknown, reorganize, experiment, invent – EXPLORE THE NEW “YOU”.

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