October 10, 2025

Standing More Often Helps Protect Heart Health

7 minutes

Frequent standing breaks improve heart health. Research shows it reduced blood pressure by 2 to 3 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in postmenopausal women within 12 weeks
Prolonged sitting increases cancer risk significantly. Every additional two hours of daily sitting raises overall cancer risk by 6%, with longest sitters facing 56% higher cancer mortality
Movement quality matters more than total sitting time. Breaking up sitting with frequent stands provides better health benefits than simply reducing total daily sitting hours
Sedentary behavior triggers harmful biological changes. Sitting decreases muscle activity by 90%, slows metabolism to 1 calorie per minute, and promotes inflammation and insulin resistance
Simple interventions can reduce health risks. Standing 10 minutes hourly, walking 30 minutes daily, and aiming for 10,000 steps significantly counteracts sedentary lifestyle dangers

...more

By Dr. Mercola

4.6

14871,487 ratings

October 10, 2025

7 minutes

Frequent standing breaks improve heart health. Research shows it reduced blood pressure by 2 to 3 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) in postmenopausal women within 12 weeks
Prolonged sitting increases cancer risk significantly. Every additional two hours of daily sitting raises overall cancer risk by 6%, with longest sitters facing 56% higher cancer mortality
Movement quality matters more than total sitting time. Breaking up sitting with frequent stands provides better health benefits than simply reducing total daily sitting hours
Sedentary behavior triggers harmful biological changes. Sitting decreases muscle activity by 90%, slows metabolism to 1 calorie per minute, and promotes inflammation and insulin resistance
Simple interventions can reduce health risks. Standing 10 minutes hourly, walking 30 minutes daily, and aiming for 10,000 steps significantly counteracts sedentary lifestyle dangers

...more