Does Sitting too Much Lead to Depression?

The average American sits more than 8 hours every single day. There is a growing scientific support showing that the more time you spend sitting, the shorter and less healthy you become. Excessive sitting, such as driving to work, at a desk , on a computer or in front of the TV, significantly impacts your brain health ,cardiovascular and metabolic function.

This raises your risk for heart attack, diabetes, arthritis, insomnia and certain types of cancer—and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Sitting for extended periods of time without getting up increases your risk for premature death. This is especially concerning given the fact that you may be vulnerable to these risks even if you are a fit athlete who exercises regularly.

The problem is that science is also showing us that temporary vigorous exercise cannot compensate for the damage incurred by prolonged daily sitting  It's becoming increasingly clear that intermittent movement is critical for health and longevity, even more so than a regular workout routine. In order to be healthy, you have to get up off your behind—and you have to do it often.

Not only is excessive sitting detrimental to your physical health, but studies show it does nothing good for your mental health either. Just like the rest of your body, your brain depends on strong blood flow, good oxygenation, and optimal glucose metabolism to work properly. Walking, muscular contractions and deep breathing exercises are necessary to pump the fluid around the brain and spine for eliminating toxins and bringing fresh oxygen.

When you sit, your skeletal muscle fibers aren't contracting, particularly the large muscles of your lower limbs. When this occurs, they require less fuel, and the surplus glucose accumulates in your bloodstream and contributes to obesity, diabetes, and other health problems.

An Australian study, published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, set out to determine if prolonged sitting and lack of exercise have an effect on depression. Researchers analyzed the habits of nearly 9,000 women, ages 50 to 55, over several years' time.

Women who sat for more than seven hours a day were found to have a 47 percent higher risk of depression than women who sat for four hours or less per day.

Women who didn't participate in ANY physical activity had a 99 percent higher risk of developing depression than women who exercised. The findings were crystal clear: excessive sitting and lack of exercise resulted in an increase in depression symptoms among middle-aged women.

Researchers concluded that increased physical activity could alleviate existing depression symptoms and possibly even prevent future symptoms. And reducing the amount of daily sitting time may relieve existing symptoms of depression.

Sitting Increases Psychological Distress, Decreases Feelings of Well-Being

Why does sitting have such a negative impact on mental health?

Psychology Today may have the answer: "Some of the psychological effects of sitting may be rooted in what people tend to do while in their chairs. They may stare at an electronic screen, rather than connecting emotionally with others. They may watch mindless TV shows, rather than engaging intellectually with the world. Or they may multitask ceaselessly—flitting between work emails, personal texts, social media, and the Internet—rather than honing their attention."

Spending excess time at your computer may lead to insomnia and depression. A British study involving 25,000 people found that those working long hours in front of computers complained of feeling depressed, anxious, and reluctant to get up for work in the mornings. They found that working just five hours per day in front of a computer screen is enough to produce depression and insomnia.

Sitting in Front of a Computer is Bad for Your Child, Too!

It's already well established that insufficient physical activity is significantly contributing to our childhood obesity epidemic. But if your child spends a lot of time in front of an electronic screen, his or her mental health may also be at risk. In one UK study, excessive screen time produced negative effects on children's self-worth, self-esteem and level of self-reported happiness.

The children who spent four hours or more computer gaming reported lower levels of well-being than their peers who spent less time in this activity. Children spending more time in front of computer screens also experience more emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties.9

It is very difficult if not impossible to refrain from sitting altogether, given today's lifestyle. However, the good news is that there are some excellent strategies to help counter the effects of sitting—and they are not that difficult to learn and incorporate into your daily routine. So don't take this news sitting down!

Better Brain Tips

1) Make walking a priority for 30 minutes of continuos movement daily.

2) Set a timer for 45 minutes to get up and move to circulate blood ,lymph and cerebrospinal fluid