“Metabolism slows down 90 per cent after 30 minutes of sitting. The enzymes that move the bad fat from your arteries to your muscles, where it can get burned off, slow down. The muscles in your lower body are turned off. And after two hours, good cholesterol drops 20 per cent.”
Now more than ever, most people spend many hours sitting. Whether that’s on the train or in the car on their daily commute, sitting at a work or school desk for many hours a day, or watching TV on a comfortable sofa at the end of the day.
Sitting for more than 8 hours a day causes:
- Weight gain
- Type 2 diabetes
- Weak bones & muscles
- Increased chance of heart disease
- Neck & Back pain
- Depression & Anxiety
Did you know that you can easily reverse this simply by standing up every 30 minutes?
Here are a few more ways to reduce your sitting time. Use a variety for best results:
- Stand up or move every 30 minutes*1
- Create a standing desk*2
- Sit on the floor cross-legged, or in a variety of squat-sit positions*3
- Lay in Sphinx pose to work*4
- Take regular exercise breaks, and do your favourite yoga poses for one minute*5
- Check your desk/chair sitting posture *6
*1 An easy way to remember to move frequently is to set a timer on your phone or computer screen; or invest in a fitness watch that prompts you to move when it detects you’ve been static for a certain amount of time.
*2 A standing desk can be easily created by placing your computer on a box or pile of books. If working from home, breakfast bars can be the perfect height to work from.
*3 Sitting without a chair is a more natural and more active way to sit. This is because you will become uncomfortable more quickly and adjust your position more often as a result. (More here)
*4 Sphinx pose 
*5 You can do any exercise to break up your sitting. Here are a few simple suggestions
*6 Correct Chair/Desk Posture
Varying your sitting positions will use muscles that have become weak from years of long sitting, so be prepared to feel a few aches as your body adjusts in the same way it would adjust to a new exercise routine.
Adapted from this article