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Staying Healthy
Engage your heart and brain, even when you’re sitting
- By Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Sitting too much is bad for health. Here’s how to soften the blow a little.
The dangers of too much sitting are increasingly clear. Research regularly links a sedentary lifestyle (especially long, uninterrupted bouts of sitting) to higher risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, brain shrinkage, muscle loss, poor posture, back pain, and premature death. That’s bad news, whether you sit a lot because of work, travel, fatigue, illness, or a simple love of lounging.
While it’s best to stay active throughout your day (get up and move every 30 minutes, if possible), there are ways to make your sit time a little healthier.
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About the Author

Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
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