If you make this mistake for one hour, you decrease your life expectancy by two hours—that means doing this is far more hazardous than smoking, which reduces your life expectancy by 11 minutes for every one cigarette smoked. But there’s an easy way to mitigate the risk. STORY AT-A-GLANCE For every hour you sit down, your life expectancy decreases by two hours. For comparison, every cigarette smoked reduces life expectancy by 11 minutes.
Your body was designed for full range of motion, and simply standing does not optimize your physiology either. The key is movement, not simply standing statically. Sitting can also be healthy when done correctly.
Sitting cross-legged on the floor is a healthy position, improving the range of motion in your hips. Kelly Starrett, who has a Ph.D. in physical therapy, is the author of “Deskbound: Standing Up to a Sitting World.” It’s a real eye-opener, and has helped me address some of my own movement challenges….