The Habit of Too Often Relieving Can Trigger Heart Disease

Illustration of a rebana. (Freepik)

JAKARTA - Lack of physical activity such as too often lying down is often considered normal. In fact, this habit secretly has a serious impact on health, especially the heart.

Not a few people feel safe as long as they don't smoke or still maintain their diet, but forget that a body that is rarely moved can also be a "time bomb" for health.

Specialist doctor in heart and vascular diseases, Sanjay Bhojraj, reminded that the habit of moving less for hours can significantly increase the risk of heart attack.

"This daily habit doubles your risk of a heart attack, and most people don't think twice about it."

He made the statement in a report quoted by Hindustan Times in early April.

Through an upload on Instagram, he also highlighted that a lazy lifestyle is still often underestimated. Many people are more focused on issues such as eating patterns or smoking habits, even though lack of physical activity is also a major factor that is often overlooked.

Based on his experience over two decades of practice, the habit of slouching or sitting for too long can slow down blood flow, increase sugar levels, and trigger the risk of blood clots.

"That's how the risk of heart attack and stroke increases," he said.

He emphasized that the solution to this problem is actually simple and does not always have to go through heavy exercise in the gym. Just get used to moving regularly, such as standing every 30-60 minutes, taking a light walk, or doing simple movements such as squats.

This finding is also supported by data from the World Health Organization. In a 2024 report, WHO named a lack of physical activity as one of the main causes of death from non-communicable diseases.

WHO notes that adults who do not meet physical activity recommendations have a 20-30 percent higher risk of death than those who are active. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle or lack of movement also contributes directly to hypertension and obesity, which are the gateway to a variety of serious heart diseases.

Furthermore, a study referenced by the WHO in 2022 shows that an inactive lifestyle causes losses of up to around 27 billion US dollars per year globally due to increased cases of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Medical experts also explain that being too sedentary can slow down the body's metabolism. When the body is passive, enzymes that function to break down fat in the blood also decrease. This is what makes modern lifestyles - which are dominated by activities of sitting at a desk or lounging on the sofa - contrary to the biological needs of the human body which is actually designed to actively move.