4 min readNew DelhiSep 11, 2026 10:00 PM IST
Longevity cardiologist Dr Ariel Soffer recently advised people not to sit for more than 45 minutes at a stretch. In a video on Instagram, he said, “If I could give you one longevity tip, don’t sit for more than 45 minutes… It’s good for your general circulation; it’s good for your overall health. Get up, move every 45 minutes, make sure your calves are moving.”
So, what actually happens inside the body when we remain seated for hours at a time?
According to Dr Varsha Kiron, Director – Cardiology, AIG Hospitals, Banjara Hills, , the key message isn’t to obsess over a specific number, but to avoid prolonged, uninterrupted sitting.“Dr Ariel Soffer is a cardiovascular physician and vein specialist, so I understand where his 45-minute advice is coming from,” says Dr Kiron. “From a cardiology and circulation perspective, it is a very sensible public-health message. However, I would not interpret 45 minutes as a magic cut-off after which the body suddenly becomes unsafe.”