By now, you probably know that sitting is your enemy when it comes to healthy aging. You may have even read a report or two that claims that “sitting is the new smoking.” But, is this really true? If so, what can we do about it?

If Sitting Comes Naturally, Why Does it Prevent Healthy Aging?

Part of the trouble is that sitting is so natural. Once you get comfortable and start an engaging activity – watching TV, working on our computer, checking Facebook, it’s easy to lose track of time.  Before you know it, hours of passed. During this time, the blood flow has been decreasing as the bad cholesterol in your body has been increasing.

Check out this brief video to see how sitting impacts your body, then, let’s return to how your humble egg timer could save your life.

So, if sitting is the problem, what’s the solution? In addition to reducing the amount of time that you spend in front of the TV, simply remembering to get up every hour or so could have a big impact on your health.

Your Egg Timer is Your New Best Friend

This is where your egg timer comes in. If you want to remind yourself to get up and move, simply set your egg timer to go off every hour. When your timer goes off, get up and walk around the house. If you’re feeling especially ambitious, take 5 minutes to do some gentle yoga or a few pushups. Your body and brain will thank you.

Were you surprised to hear just how dangerous sitting is? What steps are you taking to sit less? What else are you doing to ensure that you experience healthy aging in the decades ahead? Please join the discussion.