Students spend most of their time in school sitting. With classes lasting approximately an hour and 45 minutes each, the majority of the school day consists of students sitting in their chairs, crouching over their desks as they take notes. Aside from the seven minutes between class changes, students don’t often have the time to stand up or stretch.

According to WebMD, sitting for extended periods of time can affect both your physical and mental health. Long durations of sitting partnered with improper posture can have lasting effects on your body. For example, slouching in a hard, solid chair can lead to a damaged tailbone when students put too much much pressure on the end of their spine.

The Cleveland Clinic states that good sitting posture involves sitting up straight with your shoulders back. Rather than sitting on the edge, your bottom should touch the back of the chair. Disregarding these tips will result frequent back pain and the possibility of spinal issues. Additionally, resting your feet on a ledge or elevating your feet in any position promotes bad posture. Instead, your feet should be flat on the ground to ensure that your weight is evenly distributed. Bad posture will not only affect your back but the pressure will also add stress to your neck and shoulders.

“Sometimes my shoulders and neck get pretty stiff while I’m sitting in class,” senior Julia Sheehy said. “I often try to switch my sitting position to get comfortable and ease the pain.”

With more technology-based classes, students often work in computer labs and spend most of their class time on a laptop or computer. As students type, resting their arms at a strange angle can lead to tension in their muscles.

“I think it’s a new thing for your back to hurt because  of technology,” senior Fatima Jaradat said. “We’re always looking down at our phones or looking at a computer, which is not necessarily eye-level.”

To avoid any pain, doctors suggest that you refrain  from sitting for more than 30 minutes. They encourage that patients monitor their time and get out of their seats to stretch if sitting for longer than half an hour is needed.

In addition to this, the hours teenagers spend hunched over their phones go by unnoticed and ultimately heighten the strain put on their necks, shoulders and backs. When someone is consumed with technology they will likely forget to fix their posture.

Researchers have found that too much sitting is linked to a number of health risks, some shocking while others more obvious.

Andrea LaCroix, the director of the Women’s Health Center of Excellence at the University of California, San Diego, found that extensive sitting relates to heart attack and heart disease. In her 2014 study, she found that people who sit for longer than 11 hours a day were at the highest risk.In addition to those cardiovascular issues, LaCroix found that sitting for too long can also be linked to high blood pressure, obesity and bad cholesterol. The combination of these problems increases the risk of death and preventative steps should be taken.

WebMD recommends limiting sitting time by investing in a standing desk. Seeing as most daily activities like driving, watching TV and going to the toilet involve sitting, adjusting your work environment could be beneficial for your health.

“I wouldn’t necessarily blame the long school days, but the fact that in school we’re always sitting down. Maybe we need to be more active,” Jaradat said.

Schools should implement more time for standing and active classroom activities which would allow students to rest their backs, ultimately reducing stress and pressure on their bodies.

The eight hour school days are exhausting enough and having to stay seated for hours does not promote good health. Students tend to slouch as they try to get comfortable and a common classroom image is of students resting their heads on their desks.

Since it is out of their control while in school, students should limit their sitting time while they are at home. Make sure to fit time into your schedule to move. Going outside for a short walk or taking a break from homework to do some stretches can help prevent back pain caused by stiff muscles.

To promote good posture, less stress and better health, teachers should try to incorporate stretch breaks and more hands-on activities that will get students out of their seats.