People Sitting
Sitting is one of the basic resting positions for humans where the weight of the body is supported by the ground or other horizontal surface such as a chair. When a person sits, the upper torso is upright and the buttocks supports the weight of the body through contact with the sitting surface. Sitting most commonly occurs on the floor or on a raised seat in the form of a chair, stool, bench or similar. Today, prolonged sitting has been identified as a health risk connected to heart disease and diabetes and it is suggested to take measures to reduce the amount of sitting a person does daily.
Pain in the lower back is often a result of bad sitting posture, as a slouched or hunched over seated position puts strain on the discs. An underlying medical condition such as sciatica, a herniated disc, muscle strain, or degenerative disc disease, can worsen the pain. Upper back pain can be a result of a forward craning position when looking at a computer screen or phone display.
Calories burned while sitting varies greatly on factors such as weight, fitness level, age, sex, and health status. Sitting is a low calorie-burning activity, but the more active you are, you will burn more calories while seated. A 150 lb person is estimated to burn 68 calories an hour sitting quietly, 102 calories doing light work, and 170 calories while doing moderate work.
For an optimal upright sleeping position, a slightly sloped surface, at about 70 degrees, is ideal. Padding against the vertical surface will help to simulate the comfort of sleeping on a bed. Lower back support is the more important part of upright sleeping; this can be achieved by a rolled up towel or small pillow behind the lower back. For a smooth transition from traditional sleeping postures to an upright position while sleeping, a neck support will be beneficial as well.
