Is sitting the new smoking?
Why this matters:
An article in 2020 shared the impact of long hours of sitting and your heart health. So does that mean that you need to never sit? The human body was built to move, but there are in fact times when the body needs to rest. So instead of ditching all your chairs and stand all day (which would cause other aches and pains), the key is alternating between sitting and standing.
The causes of sciatica (disc or arthritis) will also react differently with sitting. Herniated discs usually don’t do well with sitting (rounding of the back leads to increased pressure). Spinal stenosis and arthritic backs usually feel better with sitting (less pinching on the nerves). But what if you have both? What if you do need to sit, but it hurts so bad?
Action steps:Be conscious of where your weight distribution is. Are you putting weight on more of your buttocks or your sit bones? This video, although it covers meditation, can help significantly if sitting is painful for you.
