If you’re sitting down reading this—well, you might be doing your body a disservice. A fascinating study on Tanzania’s Hadza hunter-gatherers suggests that it’s not just how much we rest, but how we rest that impacts our health. The Hadza people are just as inactive as we are during parts of the day, but here’s the difference—they don’t lounge in chairs. They squat.
While many of us sink into sofas or office chairs for hours, the Hadza rest in ways that keep their muscles subtly engaged. When they squat, their leg muscles stay active—almost 40% as active as when walking! That constant low-level muscle movement could be one reason why heart disease, diabetes, and other metabolic issues are rare in their communities.
So, should you toss out your couch and start squatting like a hunter-gatherer? Maybe not entirely, but adding more active resting to your day could do wonders for your health.
If squatting feels impossible (you’re not alone!), start small:
- Use a low stool or yoga blocks to support your heels.
- Try “assisted squats” by holding onto a sturdy surface.
- Aim for short sessions—just a few minutes at a time—and build up as your flexibility improves.
Your muscles will thank you, and over time, what feels unnatural now will become easier. Squatting isn’t just for workouts—it’s how humans used to rest before chairs took over our lives.
No, you don’t need to live like a hunter-gatherer to enjoy better health. But swapping a little sitting time for squatting could help reconnect your body with what it was designed to do—rest without completely shutting down. Give it a try—your legs (and your heart) might love the change!
