Share on PinterestExperts say extended durations of sitting can produce a wide range of well being points. Kseniya Starkova/Getty ImagesDecreasing sitting time by as little as half-hour each day can decrease blood strain, in response to a brand new examine.Researchers say lowering sitting time was similar to growing bodily exercise and reducing blood strain.They mentioned that older adults sometimes sit 60% to 80% of their awake time.Older adults would possibly be capable of decrease their blood strain by lowering sitting time, even by as little as half-hour per day.That’s in response to a brand new examine by Kaiser Permanente that was printed as we speak within the journal JAMA Community Open.Kaiser Permanente officers mentioned they created a program to see if sitting much less may cut back blood strain in older adults.The analysis included 283 Kaiser Permanente members between 60 and 89 years of age who had a physique mass index between 30 and 50.The individuals obtained:Ten well being teaching periods over six monthsA tabletop standing deskAn exercise trackerThe teaching periods targeted on setting targets for lowering sitting time. Individuals accomplished many of the teaching periods remotely.A second group of individuals additionally obtained well being teaching. Nevertheless, their targets targeted on common well being unrelated to standing or growing exercise.The researchers reported that the examine individuals who obtained teaching periods targeted on sitting time decreased their inactivity ranges by about half-hour a day.The individuals additionally lowered their blood strain by nearly 3.5 mmHg.The researchers famous that the drop in blood strain is similar to a discount of 4 mmHg present in research inspecting elevated bodily exercise as a solution to decrease blood strain in addition to a median lower of three mmHg in weight reduction research.In accordance with the examine authors, lowering sitting time can enhance total well being. Older adults sometimes sit between 65% and 80% of the time they’re awake and sitting is related to well being dangers resembling coronary heart illness and diabetes.“I undoubtedly advocate lowering sitting time for blood circulate functions from a cardiovascular perspective,” mentioned Dr. Christopher Tanayan, a sports activities and preventative heart specialist affiliated with Northwell Well being in New York who was not concerned within the examine. “[It is] additionally nice for musculoskeletal points. It’s fascinating how [the researchers] defined how this reduces blood strain physiologically (frequent interruptions to bent artery place, enhancing blood circulate and vascular shear stress).”“It’s unclear how this interprets to longer-term [blood pressure] reductions, in contrast to the impact one will get from cardio train (hormonal, launch of endorphins, vasodilation impact), which makes extra sense,” Tanayan informed Medical Information Right now.Over the previous decade, quite a few research have reported on the advantages of each day bodily exercise. They embody:One examine accomplished in 2022 confirmed that three one-minute bursts of vigorous exercise can result in an extended life.A meta-analysis confirmed a lower in persistent illnesses with elevated each day exercise.Specialists say the present examine gives extra assist for the conclusions of this previous analysis.“This examine shouldn’t be fully novel,” mentioned Dr. Howard Weintraub, the medical director of the Middle for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Illness at NYU Langone Coronary heart in New York who was not concerned within the examine. “Reducing blood strain by 3.5 mmHg shouldn’t be monumental, however it’s a begin and will assist. The researchers did exclude individuals I wish to see included, resembling individuals with diabetes or present heart problems.”“The information reveals {that a} modest enhance in exercise results in a modest lower in blood strain,” Weintraub informed Medical Information Right now. “I feel I might lean extra towards suggesting a brief stroll. Nevertheless, this group may be very chubby and beginning with a couple of minutes of exercise whereas standing is perhaps an excellent begin. However, specializing in weight reduction as a substitute of or alongside exercise would most likely result in significantly better outcomes. Total, the examine is according to what we already know – getting up has well being advantages, even small ones. The takeaway message is that extra exercise is useful to well being.”Not everybody agrees {that a} drop of three.5 mmHg is insignificant.Dr. Jennifer Wong, a heart specialist and medical director of Non-Invasive Cardiology at MemorialCare Coronary heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Middle in California, sees this discount as an enormous accomplishment.“The examine highlights that each little bit helps,” Wong, who was not concerned within the examine, informed Medical Information Right now. “Folks aren’t motivated to proceed if the aim is simply too excessive – resembling strolling for 150 minutes weekly. So, I might advocate beginning small and letting individuals know that analysis resembling this backs up the concept they don’t must climb a mountain. The comparatively easy suggestion of standing up can enhance their well being is big.”“Though this examine targeted on older, chubby people, I feel the premise may be utilized throughout the board,” Wong added.“Sedentary habits contributes to weight problems and cardiometabolic unhealthiness,” Tanayan mentioned. “Blood clot formation within the decrease extremities that will journey to the lungs because of extended sitting (e.g., lengthy haul flights) might be essentially the most feared fast complication of ‘sitting an excessive amount of.”“Sitting all day is inevitable for some strains of labor, so a complete of 12 hours of sitting time is perhaps acceptable so long as there’s a break to this recurrently. Best to recollect is each hour,” he added. “The disruption to sitting (change of place to standing) is what they’ve used right here to elucidate the discount in systolic blood strain. I agree that blood circulate is improved by this behavior. Sitting to standing/strolling each hour possible helps keep our blood vessels ‘skilled’ to take action and maintains good circulation, significantly in our decrease extremities.”Sitting too lengthy is an space of ongoing examine, in response to Dr. Scott Kaiser, a geriatrician and the director of Geriatric Cognitive Well being for the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in California who was not concerned within the examine. “However we do know that it will possibly result in untimely mortality, coronary heart illness, and diabetes. It could possibly even have damaging results on psychological well being.”“We don’t have quite a lot of analysis on what an appropriate period of time to sit down in,” Kaiser informed Medical Information Right now. “Metabolism, glucose, muscle tone, bone, and the cardiovascular system are all affected by extended sitting.”“Many individuals are likely to overthink exercise – they assume they want a fancy train plan,” Kaiser mentioned. “However this examine tells individuals to rise up and transfer.”“The researchers give us a quite simple change that everybody could make,” he added. “I like the thought of ‘exercise snacks’ – quick durations of exercise. Virtually any exercise is sweet so long as you rise up and get shifting.” Tanayan suggests methods to remind your self to scale back sedentary habits:Set alerts on wearable gadgets.Be aware to face and stroll each half-hour or 60 minutes at work.Request an possibility to make use of a standing workstation.When you’ve got on-site coworkers, assist one another at by reminding them to face/stroll recurrently.