One of the things I love most about life in the current Information Age is the easy and pretty much unfettered, access to learning. As retirement affords more time to do what we want, being able to study longevity from home has been a true blessing for me, as home is the actual launch pad for practicing some basic habits that lead to longevity. Recently, my studies uncovered a life-long factor from the past that I never considered to be a threat to my quality of life or longevity, but is exactly that.
In each of my pregnancies, I had an episode of sciatica, which I associated with being pregnant. But when it happened 20 years ago, a CT scan revealed degenerative spine disease that was years in the making. This has resulted in a height loss of 4”, and a full suite of conditions that do not lend themselves to a good quality of life. My lifelong healthy practices of daily exercise, eating healthy, unprocessed foods, being mindful, blah, blah, blah, were not enough to stave off the one thing I did on a daily basis for hours at a time: sit. For my entire work life of almost 50 years, I spent five days a week mostly sitting at a desk. Writing, typing, working with clients, researching, reading, but sitting all the while.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 35%-45% of adults aged 60 and older, suffer from back pain or degenerative spinal issues, meaning tens of millions of people here in the United States. While this explains the blasé attitude of my doctor, it did nothing to inform me as to the cause, so I started digging. Recent studies conducted at Harvard University confirm that sitting for more than 30 minutes can slow your metabolism by up to 90%. Standing up restarts crucial enzymatic functions that clear fat and sugar from your bloodstream. Static sitting causes spinal disc compression and tissue dehydration, but switching up your posture redistributes mechanical pressure and prevents long-term musculoskeletal fatigue.
All that is important is this one moment in movement. Make the moment important, vital, and worth living. Do not let it slip away unnoticed and unused. – Martha Graham
Great information, right? But what can I do now to mitigate the worst-case scenario? I’m not one for resorting to surgery unless odds are 90/10 in my favor, so for me it is not an option. Here is what my doctor recommended and is working for me: physical therapy. For the past 25 years, a daily morning routine of floor Pilates has enabled me to be mobile, flexible and mostly pain free. If you are one of the millions suffering from spinal issues, check with your doctor or a medically certified therapist for a routine that will work for you. And do it.
And do this: Share this information about the dangers of sitting with your family and friends. The grandson/ granddaughter who spends hours gaming. The sister/brother/daughter/son/niece/nephew/friend whose sedentary work will eventually put them in your shoes.
Harvard researchers recommend you move from a seated position at least 1 to 2 times per hour, which translates to roughly 8 to 16 times during a standard 8-hour workday. Ergonomics experts and health guidelines state that 30 minutes is the threshold at which the human body starts to experience negative metabolic and circulatory effects from stillness, making a movement break every 30 to 45 minutes ideal.
Occupational health researchers developed a recommended cadence known as the 20/8/2 rule. For every 30-minute block of your day, structure your time as follows:
That said, here are two things we should all know prior to citing (or believing) social media to be a source of true and reliable information.
- Sit for 20 minutes to focus on deep tasks.
- Stand for 8 minutes to naturally improve circulation and posture.
- Move for 2 minutes to stretch, walk or do light exercises.
In closing, remember . . .
Make movement a habit throughout your day. Your body will thank you for it.
You got this!
Happily yours,
Arnette Travis
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” —Jim Rohn
