Vijai Pawar
Natural Healing Advisor
10:53 AM | 24-02-2020
Sitting is a factor in the lives of all of us. A part of our lives is spent sitting down. So, how we sit is very important. Do we sit in the proper posture or do we slouch? What effect can this have on our health and how do we correct it? This article takes a closer look.
Sitting and slouching
Sitting continuously for many hours can have many health hazards. Some of us are required to sit more than others, hence we either profit or lose according to how we sit at our work, during leisure, while eating etc. depending upon the length of time sitting is demanded of us.
Whether we rest or not when sitting, depends upon how we sit and what we sit upon. To do the best quality work when sitting also depends upon how we sit and what we sit upon.
Many persons sit to ‘‘slouch’’. They are either too poor in health or too tired to stand. For these, we can offer no better suggestion than to strive to improve the general state of health by hygienic ways so that 'slouching' is not so easy, or so inviting.
On the other hand, those who must sit much can learn to sit in such a way as to contribute to their health and work efficiently or they can drift into the health-destroying habit of ''slouching''.
The correct way of sitting
The sitter should sit well back on the chair or stool, whether or not the same has support for the back. One should sit relaxed with the full weight on the buttocks. The shoulders should not be raised and drawn back and neither should the abdomen be either prolapsed or dropped in one's lap or drawn in.
When sitting down remember to first sit on both the buttocks well back in the chair, couch or stool with no thought of the necessity for a backrest. If there is a backrest, the hips and the sacral region should be tightly set against it. The upper back and shoulders will touch the backrest lightly. To assume this position, simply raise the chest to a natural position, and the shoulder will go into the place automatically. Where there is no backrest the natural position will be felt as the chest is raised. In case of a desk or bench worker or when eating, he should learn to lean over from the waist and not from the neck or the chest.
Remember to sit 'for health'.
Slumping means suffering later on
Since the introduction of laptops, sitting in very many awkward positions have compounded/aggravated problems of back-ache, cervical spondylitis neck pain etc. many times over.
The headlines have been coming thick & fast; ‘SITTING IS KILLING YOU'', ''SITTING IS THE NEW SMOKING'', “THE WAR ON SITTING”. In the ever-changing landscape of health hazards, sitting is the new villain --as TIME magazine portrays it, a grim reminder creeping up behind us as we idly hit ''like' on Facebook posts.
NOW DO A STAND-UP JOB.
Fitness experts believe the war on sitting can be fought with a simple weapon; by standing more. Of course, ideally, all humans should do their jobs while moving around, but since that is not always a possible solution on a knowledge economy, the next best alternative is standing as much as you can. Or so say the advocates of the ''stand at work'' culture which is slowly filtering into India. Heart rate increases by 10 beats / per min. while standing with 50 extra calories burned per hour - says orthopaedic surgeon DR. Lokesh A Veerappa of B'lore.
A study published in The Lancet dating back to 1950 said bus drivers had double the risk of heart attack, compared to conductors who spent almost the entire day on their feet.
Hazards of sitting for long
Sitting long hours every day for prolonged periods causes the blood circulation in lower parts to be hampered, cells are deprived of the requisite nutrition and cause disruption in the proper functioning of joints, weakening of muscles, poor and shallow breathing, depriving fair amounts of oxygen, resulting in poor elimination of toxins throughout the organism. Most persons might be working sitting in air-conditioned ambience further depleting the health.
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Offsetting of sitting has already been advised. It is further suggested to take measures not to consume enervating foodless foods like tea, coffee, cold drinks, fried snacks, bakery stuff during or after office hours. Instead have a fair amount of fruits, juices and salads. A stroll around the working place could be had if possible, breaking the monotony of sitting. Mornings may be utilized for a brisk walk and deep breathing.
(V.S.Pawar - Member Indian Institute of Natural Therapeutics, 1980)
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