Skip to Main Content

Sit at your Peril

by Marcia Mueller

I'm always suggesting to my patients that exercise and activity is necessary for better overall health and well being.  Little did I know that some new studies are showing that just standing instead of sitting is beneficial.  Gretchen Reynolds in a NY Times article sites  a study showing that even just breaking up long time sitting with a few minutes of light walking or exercise can lower glucose and insulin levels.  Another study shows that standing uses more caleries than sitting.  She also notes that a study from Australia correlates television watching to decreased life expectancy!.   She incorporates this into her work schedule, by setting an alarm and getting up every 20 minutes for 2 minutes. So once again I say just move, even a little, and good things can happen.