Ways to avoid the habit of sitting

Sitting habits and effects on health

Nowadays, there is a lot of change in the lifestyle of people. Due to increasing work pressure, many people sit at their desk in the office for 8 to 9 hours continuously. If you are also one of these, you need to be careful. Experts say that the habit of sitting at one place for a long time is increasing the risk of a disease called ‘Deep Vein Thrombosis’ (DVT) in youth. We discussed this topic with Dr. Sujit Narayanan, Associate Director, Interventional Cardiology, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Noida, to understand what this ‘sitting disease’ is and how it affects your legs.

DVT: a serious health problem

What is DVT, and why is it dangerous?

DVT is a medical condition in which blood clots form in the deep veins of the body, most commonly in the veins of the legs. It becomes serious when these clots move from their place and reach the lungs, which is called ‘pulmonary embolism’ in medical language. This condition can be fatal.

This is a matter of concern because earlier this problem was mainly seen in the elderly or those patients who remained bedridden for a long time after surgery. But now it is increasingly affecting the youth as well, especially those under the age of 40 who have desk jobs. Its prevalence rate in this age group ranges from 10% to 25%.

Effect of sitting for a long time on blood

What effect does sitting for a long time have on blood?

Sitting continuously for a long time has a deep impact on the blood. Blood clots usually form for three main reasons:

• Numbness in legs: By sitting for hours without moving, the muscles of the legs become inactive, due to which blood starts accumulating.
• Pressure on nerves: Staying in one position for a long time puts pressure on the inner walls of the veins.
• Thickening of blood: Work pressure, not drinking enough water and unhealthy lifestyle can cause blood to thicken, increasing the chances of clots.

How can you keep yourself safe? Doctors have suggested some simple lifestyle changes to avoid this life-threatening condition:

• Take a break from work every 60 minutes; Get up from your seat and walk for about 5 minutes.
• Blood becomes thick due to lack of water. Keep a water bottle on your desk and drink small amounts of water throughout the day.
• Avoid sitting with one leg over the other, as this restricts blood flow.