Study after study has shown that spending too much time in sedentary activities, like watching TV, can cause fatty material to build up in your arteries, skyrocketing your risk of heart disease.
If that weren’t enough to get you off the couch, previous research has identified seven other dangers that come with sitting for long periods that run the gamut from making dementia more likely, to raising your odds of diabetes.
And now, a US study of more than 7,500 Americans in their 60s has more bad news for all of us that like to binge on Netflix or surf the internet for hours at a time.
All it takes is a single hour on your backside to increase your stroke risk by a frightening 14 percent — and the hours add up fast…
Visualizing your stroke danger by the numbers
The research, performed by a team of scientists at San Diego State University used tracking devices to follow 7,607 American men and women to gather data on how much they moved, and at what intensity, each week to gauge their risk of stroke.
And the results were clear.
People who are the most sedentary are at the highest risk of suffering a stroke…
In fact, the team found that people who sat for 13 or more hours per day were 44 percent more likely to suffer a stroke within seven years compared to those who spend 11 hours or less per day in sedentary activities.
Additionally, the research showed that with each extra hour per day spent sitting, stroke risk went up by another 14 percent.
Good news: It doesn’t take much to lower your risk
Luckily, the results of the research also showed a light at the end of the tunnel even for us couch potatoes out there…
Getting up and moving, even a little could help keep your veins and arteries healthy and your stroke risk low.
The researchers say that just three-and-a-half hours of light exercise per week (like doing your household chores or taking a walk) has the power to reduce your stroke risk by a whopping 26 percent compared to moving less than two hours per day.
In fact, you may be shocked at how much daily activities add up to heart protection.
And if kick up your activity to a moderate or vigorous level for 14 minutes or more, you’ll grab a 47 percent lower odds of suffering a stroke.
This can be accomplished by walking briskly, cycling or even gardening, with optimal protection achieved at 25 minutes of moderate activity per day.
And here’s one more trick you can use when you are sedentary to put the lid on your risk of stroke…
Fidget!
Yup, you read that right.
Researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia showed that frequent fidgeting can help improve your blood flow during those periods of prolonged sitting. And better blood flow means there’s less chance you’ll suffer from a deadly stroke or heart attack.
Sources:
Every hour spent watching TV on the sofa each day in your 60s raises risk of stroke by 14%, study warns – DailyMail.com