Its been called the new smokingand its something that most of us do on a daily basis.
But there’s another habit that shortens life span that you may not know about.
Some experts have gone as far as calling it “the new smoking.”
Photo: Design elements: Getty Images. Collage: Cassie Basford.
And it’s a habit that most Americans do on the daily.
What Is the #1 Habit to Break to Live Longer?
The most important habit to break if you want to live longer is sitting for long periods each day.
Altogether, sitting time is thought to make up over half of most adults' waking hours.
Sitting for eight hours or more each day appeared to pose the greatest risk.
How Does Sitting Shorten Life Span?
As you sit, circulation slows, and blood begins to pool in the lower limbs.
How Does Breaking This Habit Help You Live Longer?
The good news is that this isn’t a habit you have to fully break.
Sitting at various times during a day is normal and can be part of a healthy lifestyle.
So what researchers suggest doing is interrupting sedentary sitting blocks with brief movement breaks.
The quick bursts of movement get blood circulating and muscles contracting and using glucose.
Standing and moving may also help stabilize the increased pressure in blood vessels that’s associated with sitting.
How long and how frequent should these movement breaks be?
Do I Really Need to Break This Habit If I’m Physically Active?
Probably, if your daily sitting time exceeds four hours.
While exercise appears to lessen the risks associated with sitting, it doesn’t completely cancel them out.
How Do I Break This Habit?
This is consistent with what other studies point to as ideal from a risk-reduction standpoint.
So instead of immediately attempting to slash your daily sitting time to four hours, start small.
Take Movement Breaks
Interrupt long periods of sitting with a few minutes of activity.
Can’t step away from your laptop for a five-minute walk every half-hour?
Aim to get a few minutes of movement every 60 or 90 minutes instead.
Try setting reminders on your watch or phone to help make regular activity breaks a habit.
(Check out how walking an extra 10 minutes a day may alsoslow the aging process.)
Fidget More
Bounce your leg, rotate your ankles.
Check out 7 Habits You Should Break If You’re Trying to Exercise More.
This break doesn’t have to feel like exercise or make you break a sweat.
Even a five-minute lower-intensity walk around the office or with your dog offers benefits.
But also give a shot to stick to your planned workouts.
It could go a long way in helping to minimize the risks associated with sitting.
