Cardiologists Are Begging People To Stop Doing This One Thing if They Sit for Work All Day
About 43% of Americans have jobs that can be classified as “highly sedentary,” with research suggesting that people who work desk jobs may spend up to 89% of their time sitting. That raises the risk of developing a host of serious health complications, including premature death.If you work a desk job, it’s easy to feel frustrated by that information. Short of changing careers, there’s only so much you can do about being sedentary for a good part of the day. But cardiologists agree that sitting down all day is terrible for your health. That’s true even if you’re a regular exerciser.Research published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in February found that doing the recommended 150 minutes-plus of moderate-to-vigorous exercise during the week likely isn't enough to balance out the cardiovascular risks of sitting all day. “Think of your body like a car: It's meant to run, not just idle,” says Dr. Catherine Weinberg, MD, director of Adult Congenital Heart Disease at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital. However, there’s an easy way to combat all that sitting—it’s just that many people aren't doing it. Here’s how cardiologists recommend supporting your heart health, even when you have to sit for work.🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊Why Is Sitting Bad for Heart Health?There are a few reasons why sitting isn’t great for heart health. “When you’re sitting, you’re not getting enough physical activity. Your body is designed for regular physical activity,” says Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. Being physically active helps to increase your cardiovascular activity, including your blood flow, he points out, explaining, “That helps your cardiovascular system become more efficient at its job. It will help improve blood pressure and heart rate."Related: The Silent Symptom That Could Be a Sign of Blood ClotsBeing sedentary also increases the risk of developing blood clots, says Dr. Alfonso H. Waller, MD, chief of the Division of Cardiology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. “Blood clots can form from being in a seated position for an extended period of time,” he says. “It’s important to move your legs.” Blood clots are serious: An estimated 60,000 to 100,000 Americans die from blood clot complications each year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But being physically inactive just isn’t good for your overall health, says Dr. Dawn Warner Kershner, DO,a cardiologist with The Heart Center at Mercy in Baltimore, Maryland. Inactivity has been linked to a range of health issues, including a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and more. “While the 10,000 steps per day recommendation has been a bit debunked, walking at least 6,000 steps per day is important,” she says. “This is hard to accomplish if you are sitting at a desk for 8+ hours per day.”Related: Cardiologists Are Begging People To Stop Doing This One Thing ASAP To Help Prevent Blood Clots What Cardiologists Want You To Stop Doing if You Sit for WorkIf you have to sit for work—and many people do—cardiologists want you to stop avoiding movement breaks during your day. Research suggests that getting just 20 to 25 minutes of physical activity during the day can help to offset the risk of dying early from being sedentary. When you break that up during the workday, it means you only need to move for a few minutes at a time.“When you sit for hours, you're essentially putting your metabolism in park,” Dr. Weinberg says. “Blood flow slows and your largest muscles switch off. This creates the perfect storm for heart problems, increasing your risk of high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, diabetes and even serious events like a heart attack or stroke. That's why all-day movement is key.”Dr. Chen recommends aiming to get up and move at least once an hour: “Just taking short walks for a minute or two can help with improving your cardiovascular health." Waller agrees, adding, “It’s important to build these breaks into your daily routine."Ultimately, Dr. Weinberg suggests thinking of your regular workouts as your main activity, but also keeping in mind that you still need to be active for the rest of the day as much as possible. Related: ‘I’m 53-Years-Old With Six-Pack Abs—Here’s My Exact Weekly Workout Routine’How To Get More Movement Into Your DayIt can be hard to remember to get up and move when you’re swamped at work, but cardiologists say there are a few things to consider. “You can set alarms to walk around,” Dr. Waller says. You can also plan to focus on movement before your workday, during your workday and after. “That can all improve heart health,” he explains. He also points out that you can try to work around your existing schedule, like taking the long way to fill up your water bottle or making a point to get up and move around between meetings.During those breaks, Dr. Kershner recommends walking the hallways of your office or home, or climbing a few quick flights of stairs. If you don’t feel like setting an alarm, she suggests making a habit of doing this every hour, on the hour. If you’re on a call that doesn’t require you to take notes, it can also be helpful to stand up and walk around while you talk, Dr. Weinberg says. Essentially, anything you can do to move more can be helpful. “Little changes add up,” she points out. Up Next:Related: 'I'm a Cardiologist, and These Are the 2 Packaged Snacks I Swear By for Heart Health'Sources:Gremaud AL, Carr LJ, et al. Gamifying Accelerometer Use Increases Physical Activity Levels of Sedentary Office Workers. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2018. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.117.007735. Nguyen S, Bellettiere J, Anuskiewicz B, et al. Prospective associations of accelerometer‐measured machine‐learned sedentary behavior with death among older women: the opach study. Journal of the American Heart Association. 2024. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.123.031156Ezimamaka, A., Shinwan, K., et al. Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Behavior and Risk of Future Cardiovascular Disease, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2024.10.065.Dr. Dawn Warner Kershner, DO, a cardiologist with The Heart Center at Mercy in Baltimore, MarylandDr. Catherine Weinberg, MD, director of Adult Congenital Heart Disease at Northwell’s Lenox Hill HospitalDr. Cheng-Han Chen, MD, interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CADr. Alfonso H. Waller, MD,chief of the Division of Cardiology at Rutgers New Jersey Medical SchoolData and Statistics on Venous Thromboembolism, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionDing, D., Nguyen, B., et al, Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis, The Lancet Public Health, 2025, DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(25)00164-1Sagelv EH, Hopstock LA, Morseth B, et al, Device-measured physical activity, sedentary time, and risk of all-cause mortality: an individual participant data analysis of four prospective cohort studies,British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023, DOI: 10.1136/bjsports-2022-106568Prevent Type 2 Diabetes: Talking to Your Patients About Lifestyle Change, Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAbout the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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