BODY TALK - WATCH YOUR BACK
HERE'S WHAT REALLY
HAPPENS TO YOUR BODY AFTER SITTING THROUGH A SIT-COM MARATHON
1 ON YOUR SPINE
The problem:
Sitting for long hours curve your
spine into a C-shape, and keeping it that way for too long can cause cramped
and aching muscles.
The solution: Consider a recliner or
tucking a pillow behind your chair. It'll keep your back straight and
comfortable, and help you maintain proper posture.
2 ON YOUR QUADS
The problem:
According to a recent research, people
who say they watch television frequently are 40 per cent less likely to
exercise than non-TV watchers. Sitting for long hours also puts pressure on
those inflexible quads.
The solution: Use the sitcoms you
watch as motivation. Watching someone fit onscreen (sometimes, on a daily
basis) makes you more likely to want your body to look like the characters you
admire.
3 ON YOUR GUT
The problem:
Piling on extra kilos. Every two
hours of TV you watch a day, you're 23 per cent more likely to become obese (and
14 per cent more likely to develop diabetes).
The solution: Avoid the food shows.
It makes you crave unhealthy food that you wouldn't generally have access to in
your kitchen.
4 ON YOUR BRAIN
The problem:
After a long TV marathon, you may
start resembling a zombie. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital recently
found that a typical binge in front of fluorescent light (about four hours)
before going to bed makes it harder to fall asleep, reduces REM sleep, and
makes one groggy the next day, even after clocking eight hours of sleep. The
reason is that the blue light which the television emits, inhibits the release
of melatonin, a hormone that helps you knock off.
The solution: Limit your viewing to
two hours after work . If you can, avoid it on an daily basis. Daytime bingeing
won't affect your sleep cycle. But why would you choose to vegetate in front of
the TV on bright summer afternoons?
5 ON YOUR LUNGS
The problem:
Among the many health hazards it
causes, sitting for long hours can also shrink your lung capacity by a third,
so you get less oxygen, which causes a decrease in mental focus the second you
sit on the couch.
The solution: Sit on a chair with a
pillow behind your lower back. It is a position that helps open your lungs.
6 ON YOUR HEART
The problem:
Listen to your heart beat. An
Australian study of national health records found that, on an average, every
single hour of television watching after 25 reduces life expectancy by close to
22 minutes.
The solution: Researchers have
discovered little mortality risk for people who watch less than an hour a day.
Pick a show that's a real brain numbing deal, so you're more likely to need
time between episodes.
MM13APR15
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