Your Studio Lifestyle May Be Killing You – Here’s How To Stop It From Happening Fast

Recording studios seem like such a cool environment to work in, but there’s many ways in which our studio lifestyle may be killing us. In this short article we’re going to tell you how to make sure you don’t have a great career at the expense of your health.

Sitting All Day

There’s a wealth of research that shows a sedentary lifestyle is bad for our health. Effects on health include higher chance of depression, blood sugar spikes, back problems, poor sleep and forgetfulness.

Some studies have suggested that sitting all day reduced life expectancy, although the jury is still out on any direct link. However it is proven that excercise has several positive health effects.

Furthermore, bad posture through using a bad chair or sitting in the wrong position can lead to long term issues with back and neck, which if left unchecked may be bad news.

Poor Diet

Let’s be honest when you have a deadline and need to get work done fast then often good food choices drop down the priority list. Poor diet can affect everything from weight gain and even worse about 30% of fat is visceral, in other words an unseen problem if left unchecked. Poor diet can also create issues with digestion and bowel issues too.

Little Or No Exercise

Some days when the deadlines are looming we can go to the studio and sit in the same chair for 18 hours, some of us do this 24/7, 365 days a year and getting little of no exercise.

It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have:

• up to a 35% lower risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
• up to a 50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• up to a 50% lower risk of colon cancer
• up to a 20% lower risk of breast cancer
• a 30% lower risk of early death
• up to an 83% lower risk of osteoarthritis
• up to a 68% lower risk of hip fracture
• a 30% lower risk of falls (among older adults)
• up to a 30% lower risk of depression
• up to a 30% lower risk of dementia

As you can see sitting all day in a studio is really bad for your health.

Not Enough Sleep

Again a studio lifestyle can be one that burns the midnight oil or the candle at both ends. You are tweaking a snare or trying to fit a piece of audio and suddenly realise that it’s 3am… again.

Studies have shown the adults on average need between 7-8 hours of sleep per day. Anything less on a regular basis is considered sleep deprivation and could affect your overall performance and health.

“Sleep helps your brain work properly. While you’re sleeping, your brain is preparing for the next day. It’s forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information.

Studies show that a good night’s sleep improves learning. Whether you’re learning math, how to play the piano, how to perfect your golf swing, or how to drive a car, sleep helps enhance your learning and problem-solving skills. Sleep also helps you pay attention, make decisions, and be creative.

Studies also show that sleep deficiency alters activity in some parts of the brain. If you’re sleep deficient, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and coping with change. Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.” According to the NIH.

My Story

For those who don’t know I’m 52 and have spent a great deal of my life sitting in studios, these days the dream of a home studio is a reality and I often joke that my daily commute to work is about 20 seconds if the traffic is bad. I can walk from the kitchen across the courtyard in about that time and be working in less than a minute.