If you sit for long hours at a time at home, at work, or in a car, you’re not alone. But all those hours of sitting can affect your health.

Research shows that a sedentary lifestyle — sitting too much — has a wide range of negative physical and mental health effects. However, some simple lifestyle changes can help lower your risk.

Learn more about the risks of sedentary behavior and how to incorporate active habits into your life to lower your risk.

What Is a Sedentary Lifestyle?

A sedentary lifestyle entails long periods of sitting or lying down while expending a low level of energy.

It could include sitting time:

  • At home — Sitting or lying down while watching television, using the computer, or playing video games, among other things.
  • At school — Students may spend long hours sitting in a classroom.
  • At work — A sedentary lifestyle is common among people who work desk jobs.
  • While traveling — Sitting for long periods while commuting in a car, a bus, or an airplane.

A sedentary lifestyle may seem equal to physical inactivity, but they’re actually two different concepts. Physical inactivity refers to not meeting the recommended guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises.

It’s possible for someone to meet those guidelines but still engage in sedentary behavior if they spend long hours sitting. Likewise, it’s possible to not meet physical activity guidelines but still not engage in sedentary behaviors.

The most recent Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans , released in 2018, recognized the importance of avoiding sedentary behavior. The guidelines encourage American adults to “move more and sit less throughout the day.”

How Does Sitting All Day Affect Your Body?

Sitting or lying down for long periods every day can have numerous effects on your body, including:

  • Bone density loss — Sitting too much can affect the mineral composition of your bones, which can make them weaker.
  • Immune system effects — Sedentary behavior can lead to the dysregulation of the immune system. This can result in chronic inflammation throughout the body. Inflammation is a risk factor for many diseases.
  • Metabolic slowdown — It may become harder for your body to burn calories. This can make it easier to gain weight or harder to lose it.
  • Muscle atrophy — Your muscles can get weaker from prolonged periods of sitting or lying down.
  • Poor blood circulation — Sedentary behavior can affect blood flow throughout your body.

Because of these changes, there are many health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle for office workers, TV watchers, long commuters, and many others.

What Are the Risks of a Sedentary Lifestyle?

A sedentary lifestyle is a risk factor for many different chronic health conditions.

Obesity

More than 40% of American adults are obese, and sedentary behavior is a risk factor. People burn fewer calories when they’re sitting and lying down, and prolonged sitting can slow their metabolism day by day. A slower metabolism can lead to a lower rate of fat burning.

A 2022 meta-analysis in Clinical Nutrition ESPEN found a “significant association” between sedentary behavior and obesity in American adults and older adults. Among the studies measured, 31% of people with obesity reported sedentary behavior.

Cardiovascular disease

Research has linked sedentary behavior to various cardiovascular diseases, including:

A sedentary lifestyle may also lead to a higher risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These are also risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Sedentary behavior can also raise your risk of death from cardiovascular disease. A 2024 study in JAMA Network Open found that people who sat at work faced a 34% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who didn't.

Cancer

A 2022 review in the European Journal of Epidemiology reported an association between sedentary behavior and a higher risk of several cancers, including:

Sedentary behavior also may lead to a higher risk of cancer-related death. JAMA Oncology published a study in 2022 on the link between sedentary behavior in cancer survivors and cancer mortality. The study reported that the participants who sat for over eight hours per day had a higher risk of cancer mortality.

Type 2 diabetes

Sedentary behavior is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Prolonged sitting can decrease your body's insulin sensitivity, which in turn affects your body’s ability to control blood sugar.

A 2021 study in Diabetes Care reported that the risk of type 2 diabetes increased with each level of sedentary behavior. Study participants who sat the most — more than six hours daily — faced the highest risk.

Metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome occurs when someone has at least three metabolic risk factors, including:

A 2022 study in Obesity Reviews reported that both intermediate and high levels of sedentary behavior were “significantly associated with an increased risk of metabolic syndrome.” The study defined intermediate sedentary behavior as a median of 4.11 hours per day and high sedentary behavior as a median of 7.26 hours per day.

Osteoporosis

Although research is ongoing, some studies have linked sedentary behavior with decreases in bone density. Lower bone density is a risk factor for osteoporosis.

Sedentary behavior also may cause other musculoskeletal issues, like muscle weakness, back pain, and more.

Mental health conditions

Experts are still studying the mental health effects of not moving enough. However, research has indicated a potential link between sedentary behavior and declines in mental health, such as anxiety and depression.

A 2023 review in BMC Public Health reported that sedentary behavior, physical inactivity, and poor diet may lead to an increased risk of anxiety, depression, and psychological distress.

Alzheimer's disease

Research has linked sedentary behavior to a higher risk of cognitive decline and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.

A 2025 study in Alzheimer's & Dementia reported that a sedentary lifestyle in aging adults was an independent risk factor for Alzheimer's. Study participants who were more sedentary showed more cognitive decline, even if they met recommended exercise guidelines.

How to Decrease Sedentary Behavior

Lifestyle changes can help lower your TV-watching and desk job-related health risks. Making small changes to reduce sedentary behavior by incorporating daily movement can benefit your health. It also may help prevent you from developing a chronic disease like obesity, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes, and lower your risk of cancer.

Easy ways to stay active during the workday

There are many benefits to taking regular standing breaks at work if you have a desk job. Consider some of the following tips:

  • Sit less, stand more — If you’re in the office, walk to your co-worker’s office to ask them a question instead of emailing them. Consider standing instead of sitting during virtual meetings. If you’re calling someone, stand while you’re on the phone.
  • Stand while using public transit — You can’t stand while driving, but you can if you take the bus, train, or subway to work.
  • Take short stretch breaks or exercise snacks — Every 30 to 60 minutes, get up from your desk to stretch your legs, whether it’s just standing or taking a quick stroll through your home or office. You can also consider “exercise snacks,” which are simple exercises you can do at your desk for one to two minutes.
  • Try a standing desk — Standing desks aren’t for everyone, but using one can help you prevent prolonged periods of sitting.
  • Use the stairs — If your office isn’t too high up in the building, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

How to move more at home

To reduce your amount of sedentary time at home, try some of the following:

  • Exercise more — Although physical inactivity and sedentary behavior aren’t the same thing, they can go hand in hand. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week (or a combination), along with two days of muscle-strengthening workouts. If you’re new to working out, start slow and build up. A daily walk is one simple way to stay active.
  • Play with your kids — If you have kids, staying active with them reduces your sedentary behavior and also sets a good example for them to follow.
  • Stay active during your leisure time — Instead of sitting or lying on the couch to watch television, turn it into a workout. Try doing some yoga stretches, planks, or body weight or resistance exercises during your show or movie (or at least during commercial breaks). Consider investing in a treadmill or exercise bike.
  • Use chores as a way to stand and/or stay more active — Household chores are a great way to stand more and sit less. Whether it’s doing the dishes, gardening, mowing the lawn, or washing the car, there are many ways to stay active around the house.