Sitting More Than This Many Hours A Day Could Raise Your Heart Risk
What if simply breaking up your sitting time could help protect your heart? New research suggests that adding small bursts of movement throughout your day could make a measurable difference, even if you already work out regularly.
Stand for longevity
We’ve long known that staying active supports cardiovascular health. But a large UK Biobank study1 found there’s a tipping point: sitting more than 10.5 hours a day increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death, even in people meeting the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity each week.
Daily workouts are important, but breaking up sedentary time is equally essential for protecting your heart.
The study at a glance
Researchers tracked ~90,000 adults for one week using accelerometers and found:
- 10.5+ hours sitting daily was linked to a 45% higher risk of heart failure & 62% higher risk of cardiovascular death.
- Risks remained even for those hitting exercise guidelines.
- Replacing just 30 minutes of sitting with movement lowered heart failure risk by 7%, even for active individuals.
How to sit less & move more
- Set a timer to stand, stretch, or walk every 45–60 minutes.
- Take walking meetings or phone calls on the go.
- Swap seated tasks (like email or reading) for a standing desk or counter.
- Sneak in micro-movements: calf raises, desk squats, or a quick stair climb.
- Pair movement with habits: Take a lap on your way to the bathroom, or stretch after finishing a task.
The takeaway
You can’t out-exercise a day spent glued to your chair. Breaking up sedentary time with short, intentional movement, like standing, stretching, or brisk walking, is just as vital as your scheduled workouts. Your heart health depends on both how much you move and how little you sit.
+Quitting sitting
- What you should know about sitting & dementia
- 8 tricks to sit less throughout the day
- Build the right movement schedule for you