Being Sedentary is not classified as an Addiction but I have often wondered about it’s similarities to one. Addictions trap a person in a vicious cycle of immediate reward and gratification. They quietly borrow from a person’s future while slowly draining their health (and finances due to bad health). Likewise, let’s look at how being stuck to the couch can do the same to anyone.
- The reward of Sedentariness is the comfort of avoiding the annoyance of physical and mental fatigue – a comfort that comes from doing nothing. Lack of activity then speedens loss of muscle (aka sarcopenia) and aggravates gain in fat, which in turn starts chipping away at stamina or energy, if you will. With energy levels sliding down, attempts at movement only get that much tougher, because weaker muscles make the same task feel like a lot more effort. This then makes the ‘reward’ of being comfortable by doing nothing even more attractive. You can see how this sets up a vicious cycle.
- Similar to an Addiction, Sedentary behavior starts to progressively take over our time and interferes with doing what’s right and affects regular functioning in society and work. Sitting around can quietly expand from 1 hour → 3 hours → 6 hours/day, without feeling like a deliberate decision.
- Sedentary behavior becomes increasingly cue-driven. For people addicted to drugs, some places, people, times, or emotions can trigger cravings. Likewise, Sedentariness finds and reinforces cues: Finishing work → couch. Eating → couch. Watching TV → couch. Phone → bed.
A drug addiction says, “I need this to feel good”, sedentariness says, “I need to avoid effort to continue feeling good.”
When I approach sedentariness as an addiction with my patients, the blaming and shaming automatically shifts from the person to the ‘condition’ and makes them more open and receptive towards ‘De-addiction’.
I recently watched what Ben Affleck had said about his alcohol addiction issue – “The Cure for addiction is suffering. You suffer enough and then something inside you goes ‘I am done'”
I don’t know if I agree with his taken completely, but I know that the ‘suffering’ from Sedentariness is unfortunately a lot slower than drug addictions. The damage to health creeps on you slowly with age and causes chronic illnesses that accelerate aging.
For readers struggling with this addiction of their couches, I encourage thinking about breaking the cycle before it’s too late. Whenever you feel the need to change things, simple habits suggested on Just10Daily are a easy way to get started and will eventually help you find the right balance again.