A sedentary lifestyle is a common phenomenon in today’s world and is characterized by minimal and irregular physical activity. A modern person needs to take less and less action to perform daily tasks, which negatively affects the body state. When people travel by transport to work, seat about eight hours per day at the desk, and watch TV for hours, they suffer from different ailments. This schedule leaves not too much time to maintain a good physical shape. Therefore, the lack of physical activity can have a significantly negative impact on health and cause a large number of severe diseases.
Obesity Caused by the Lack of Physical Activity
Excess body weight is one of the most common consequences of a sedentary lifestyle. The lack of physical activity leads to a slowing of metabolism and blood circulation, thereby reducing the number of calories burned, the excess of which inevitably turns into fat (Carlson, Fulton, Pratt, Yang, & Adams, 2015). Obesity, in its turn, is associated with an increased risk of developing various ailments, including cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, high blood cholesterol levels, diabetes mellitus, certain types of cancer, gallbladder diseases, and arthritis. Psychological disorders, such as depression and low self-esteem, can also occur if a person is worried about his or her overweight and fat deposits. Any muscular activity, on the contrary, aims at maintaining the weight in the norm because it helps to burn calories, and the more intense it is, the more calories are burnt. It means that physical exercises contribute to improving the body state and getting rid of obesity. It is essential for a patient not to have any hereditary or other predisposition to weight gain; however, as a rule, even in this case, regular active exercises will be useful and will surely not do any harm.
Diseases of the Cardiovascular System
One of the most severe consequences of a sedentary lifestyle is a high risk of developing cardiovascular ailments, for example, ischemic heart disease or chronic hypertension. These problems, as a rule, happen because of the lack of any sports activities, and the heart does not receive necessary blood supply. Also, according to Carlson et al. (2015), under such conditions, fat-burning enzymes that are responsible for the destruction of triglycerides in the blood become inactive. As a result, the excess of blood stays on the walls of blood vessels, which complicates its circulation and can cause atherosclerosis and even heart attacks in the most severe cases. The result of performing physical exercises is more efficient work of the cardiovascular system, increasing of high-density lipoproteins, lowering of the level of cholesterol and reducing unwanted triglycerides in the blood (Carlson et al., 2015). Thus, the benefits of active sports are entirely proven in this case.
Muscle and Bone Degeneration
With a lack of physical activity, the muscles of the body become weak, which leads to a decrease in the ability to perform everyday tasks. Also, a sedentary lifestyle is harmful to posture and eventually can lead to problems with the back as the muscles supporting the spine are also weakened. Osteoporosis is another possible consequence of a sedentary lifestyle. The fact is that in a sitting position, bones do not experience any load and do not perform their necessary functions (Carlson et al., 2015). Over time, it leads to the loss of bones strength when they become more brittle. The likelihood of developing arthritis also increases. Regular exercises will help to control the health of bones and joints, increase muscle strength and endurance and give the energy to achieve life goals.
Mental Disorders
Sedentary lifestyle negatively affects mental health. Those people who do not receive any loads are more prone to depressions and anxieties. Nevertheless, as Mammen and Faulkner (2013) claim, regular muscle activity can reduce stress and lower the incidence of many mental disorders. Endorphins, released during exercises, naturally improve mood and help to feel happier and more relaxed. Also, sports have an impact on the production of the hormone serotonin, an unbalanced level of which can lead to depression, affect memory and appetite. Moreover, regular physical activity will certainly help to improve self-esteem and increase self-confidence, which is essential when a person suffers from depressions and other mental disorders.
Risk of Diabetes and Cancer
Exercising allows the body to control the blood sugar level. The lack of regular activity leads to its increase because the less a person moves, the less sugar is used by the body. The pancreas is overloaded, which affects the secretion of the hormone insulin, thereby increasing the likelihood of developing diabetes (Carlson et al., 2015). People with such an ailment have to limit themselves regularly and strictly control their way of life. Therefore, it is better to prevent this disease than to treat it. Some types of tumors, such as colon and breast cancer, are also common among people who are used to sitting for a long time and accustomed to a sedentary lifestyle. It means that the lack of physical activity can lead to the development of diseases, and if necessary measures are not taken timely, the consequences can be perilous since cancer and diabetes, as it is known, quite often lead to a fatal outcome.
Sleep Problems and Premature Aging
A sedentary lifestyle can cause problems with sleep since the body may not feel the need for rest if a person spends too much time in a sitting position. Regular exercises, on the contrary, helps to get rid of insomnia and improve the quality of sleep. However, as Mammen and Faulkner (2013) remark, it is necessary to avoid training just before going to bed because the body and the nervous system are excited, which will not allow falling asleep quickly. If exercises are performed correctly, it will calm the brain cells and allow a person to sleep soundly, regardless of the degree of the body’s fatigue.
Also, the lack of physical activity can affect a deeper level. Thus, chromosomes of the human DNA, which contain genetic information, atrophy if people refuse periodic exercises (Carlson et al., 2015). When a person becomes older, certain parts of chromosomes become shorter. These changes, in their turn, accelerate the aging process and cause an early manifestation of age-related symptoms. In order to avoid it, people should pay attention to the body and sometimes train it. Otherwise, even young men and women can look older than they are in fact.
Conclusion
Thus, the lack of physical activity can have quite severe and dangerous consequences for the human body and cause various diseases. Among such ailments can be identified the following ones: obesity, diabetes, insomnia, cancer, mental disorders, the degeneration of muscle and bone tissue, as well as the problem of premature aging. Timely measures, such as exercising and regular physical activity, can have a positive effect on health and help to reduce the negative consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.
References
Carlson, S. A., Fulton, J. E., Pratt, M., Yang, Z., & Adams, E. K. (2015). Inadequate physical activity and health care expenditures in the United States. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 57(4), 315-323.
Mammen, G., & Faulkner, G. (2013). Physical activity and the prevention of depression: A systematic review of prospective studies. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 45(5), 649-657.