Leading a sedentary lifestyle can kill you! If you’re like millions of Americans, you spend a large percentage of your life sitting down, perhaps sitting in an office chair for 8 to 10 hours per day, or watching soap operas as you lie back on the couch and relax. Such a lifestyle doesn’t seem too glamorous, and the fact that it can shorten your life should be enough to motivate you to get moving.

The Facts Speak for Themselves

The body is made to move around. When you live a sedentary lifestyle, the risk of disease increases by about 40%. It affects your life in a multitude of ways, including your sleep quality and overall health and well-being. Additional facts you should know about leading a sedentary lifestyle:

- Physical activity prevents resistance to insulin, the leading cause of Type 2 diabetes.

- There is a 50% reduction in dementia risk in older people who regularly exercise.

- There is a decreased risk of heart attack in women who are physically active more than three hours per week.

- People who are physically active have more efficient immune systems.

- There is a decreased risk of stroke in people who live active lifestyles.

- Muscles lose mineral content and strength when you aren’t active and do not exercise regularly.

- Men lower their risk of stroke by two-thirds when they maintain regular physical activity.

- Maintain better body weight. Women who walk every day reduce their risk of obesity by 24%.

- There is an increased risk of depression in individuals who are not physically active.

You owe it to yourself to get out there and enjoy life to the fullest. Knowing that you’ll improve your health in the process should further encourage you to find hobbies that you enjoy that allow you to be as active as you want to be.

Some of the things that you can do to improve your sedentary lifestyle include:

Stretch

It’s the best way to start and end each day. When you stretch, you loosen the muscles, reducing the risk of injuring them. Plus, you enjoy improved flexibility when you stretch the muscles each day. When you stretch, it is much easier to live an active lifestyle that keeps you healthy.

Dance

Shake your groove thing on the dance floor and it is easy to reduce stress, socialize with friends, add romance to your relationship, and maintain a healthy weight. Dancing gets your blood flowing, which improves circulation and cardiovascular health. The fact that it is a lot of fun only makes dancing so much better. Head out to your favorite dancehall or turn your living room into the party zone. As long as you move around, you’re doing it the right way.

Get a Massage

Tired, overworked muscles can cause you to avoid activities that you’d otherwise enjoy. In fact, it causes the start of a sedentary lifestyle for many people. It isn’t easy to get moving when your muscles burn, ache, and otherwise cause you pain. A massage circulates the blood flow, minimizes stress, and relieves those overworked muscles so you feel like getting out there enjoying life once again. Once you lie on massage therapy tables, all your worries cease and you’re instantly refreshed and renewed!

Get More Sleep

When you sleep better at night, you feel like taking on more activities during the day. Furthermore, you’re more productive and make better decisions. Don’t underestimate the power of sleep. If you must take activities out of the day to ensure that you get the right amount of sleep, make those changes immediately.

The Bottom Line

Life is made to live, not sit around all day and all night. The health risks associated with living a sedentary lifestyle prove that you’re meant to be out there living life to the fullest, participating in activities that make you feel good. Make sure that you live the fullest life possible and reduce the amount of time spent sitting and lying around.