How Does Sitting or Lying Down Impact Women’s Health, Including Uterine Fibroids and Infertility?

Can sitting or lying for long periods of time affect women’s well-being? It can. Recent research shows that women who sit or lie down for six hours or more a day are twice as likely to have uterine fibroids.

Women’s health issues that can arise when sitting or lying for too long

Physical Health: Extended sitting can cause a variety of health problems including:

• Overweight Sitting is less calorie-burning than standing up or walking. A sedentary life style can make it hard to maintain a healthy body weight.
• Heart Disease: Sitting long periods of time can increase blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. All are risk factors for cardiovascular disease.
• Type 2 Diabetes: According to studies, women who spend more than six hours sitting per day are at a higher risk of developing type two diabetes.
• Musculoskeletal disorders: Sitting long periods of time can cause pain, stiffness and arthritis.
• Varicose Veins: Sitting for long periods of time can cause blood circulation to be disrupted, increasing the likelihood that veins will become varicose.
• Degenerative disk disease: Although the discs of the spine are designed for shock absorption, sitting for prolonged periods can increase the risk of degeneration.

Mental Health: Too much lying or sitting down can have a negative effect on the mental health of women. It may be because it can cause feelings of loneliness, boredom and restlessness. Women who spend more than six hours sitting a day have been shown to be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.

Hormonal Health: Sitting for long periods of time can cause hormonal imbalances in the body, which can result in a variety of health issues, including:

• Osteoporosis Along with the Uterine Fibroids mentioned above, osteoporosis causes bones to be weak and fragile. Sitting for long periods of time can cause bone loss, which increases the risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Fertility Excessive siting can interfere with the ovulation and make it harder to conceive.

Health in general: Too much lying or sitting down can lead to a poor lifestyle. It may be because it makes it harder to exercise, eat healthily, and sleep enough.