Office, school, home office: In everyday life, many people spend a large part of their time sitting. But sitting for a long time promotes numerous complaints and clinical pictures. Experts explain why – and what can be done.
Many people in Germany spend far too much time sitting during the day and consequently suffer from a lack of exercise. This not only leads to poor posture and pain, but also promotes poor concentration, fatigue and diabetes and damages our immune system, according to sports psychologist Jana Strahler and personal trainer Franziska Penno.
Regular exercise and sporting activities, on the other hand, would have a positive effect on human well-being and health in different ways. According to Strahler, people are also mentally more efficient if they exercise regularly. This could be due to the fact that the brain is better supplied with blood through sport and can possibly form new nerve cells and connections as a result. According to the science magazine Quarks, however, brain researchers are not sure.
In order to be able to benefit from these positive effects and to prevent a lack of exercise, the personal trainer Penno recommends, among other things, establishing fixed sports plans with realistic goals and also exercising regularly in everyday office life and when sitting.
Sitting for long periods of time: That’s why it’s so harmful
On average, adults in Germany sit for around 8.5 hours a day, according to the DKV report from 2021. According to sports scientist Ingo Froboese, this is clearly too much. He explained to Deutschlandfunk Nova that one had to reckon with health consequences from a sitting time of 4.5 hours. After this limit, you can no longer compensate for the damage that sitting has already done to your body through movement.
According to Penno, long periods of sitting often result in poor posture. As a result, so-called fascia, i.e. connective tissue structures, can stick together or harden. The result is pain and tension.
Sports scientist Froboese also explained to the MDR that sitting for long periods increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Because the metabolism changes as a result of sitting for a long time, the muscles in many people would break down. However, the muscles are the “metabolic powerhouse” of a body, so that their absence affects the whole body.
Stress and psychological upsets can also arise more easily when there is a lack of exercise: Froboese explains that an imbalance arises because many people do a lot cognitively every day – but not physically. This can cause stress and mental upsets.
Bernd Kladny, chief physician for orthopedics and trauma surgery, explains in the Deutschlandfunk-Nova contribution that lack of exercise also damages the back, muscles and joints in particular. Because the cartilage in the joints is dependent on movement. Only then do they absorb nutrients from the synovial fluid. If this does not happen, the cartilage becomes porous and joint pain occurs. The intervertebral discs can also suffer and in turn lead to back pain, according to the expert.
Sport and exercise: Many health benefits
Regular exercise is not only beneficial for physical health. The University of Freiburg, where the sports psychologist Jana Strahler conducts research, explains that a large number of studies show that people can deal with stress better thanks to regular exercise. According to Strahler, this is due to the so-called stress buffer effect. This means that lesser amounts of the stress hormone cortisol are released in the body of people who are physically active.
The sports psychologist also emphasizes that regular exercise can also relieve fears and interrupt negative thoughts. Even one sport unit can have an antidepressant effect.
Prof. Rüdiger Reer, General Secretary of the German Association of Sports Physicians, explains to Quarks that the cardiovascular system also benefits from endurance sports in particular. Regular exercise can regulate blood pressure and prevent blood fat from being deposited in the blood vessels. This significantly reduces the risk of a heart attack or stroke, says Reer. Strength training also has a positive effect on muscle strength and stabilizes the body’s supporting tissue.
How and when: tips for more sport and exercise in everyday life
In order to exercise regularly, personal trainer Penno recommends viewing sports units as fixed dates. These should be noted as such in the calendar. It can also help to take sportswear to work or to meet up with others to do sports. Because that makes it more difficult to spontaneously decide against the sport.
According to sports psychologist Strahler, however, it is important to develop realistic sports plans and goals. For example, if the workouts are far too strenuous or too long, people are less likely to do them regularly. After about 30 days of regular training, however, a routine has already set in. Then it is much easier to overcome the sport.
When planning a sport, Strahler recommends using a mix of short, intense strength units and longer, moderately intense activities. In this way, shorter workouts that promote muscle strength and coordination can easily be integrated into a full day. However, endurance training should not be forgotten. However, this usually takes a little longer. Those who want to exercise particularly gently can resort to Pilates or yoga.
Penno recommends planning a sports unit about every two to three days, which should last about 45 minutes. According to the personal trainer, however, it is also important to exercise in everyday office life. She recommends getting up regularly, walking a few steps, and stretching. You should also prefer to walk or cycle to work – if possible. And the stairs are preferable to the elevator. After all, it is also important to regularly change your posture when sitting and not to stay in one position too much.
Read more on Techzle.com:
- Sitting properly: 12 tips for optimal posture
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