According to researchers, if a person stays in bed for too long, their body will face numerous health risks.
The human body is regarded as a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs. This network is interconnected and constitutes life.
So, what happens to the body if a person remains in bed and refuses to get up?
In reality, many people share that there are mornings when they wish they could stay in bed forever. However, if this dream becomes a reality, what changes will occur in the human body?
By simply lying in bed, a person can eat, maintain hygiene, and find entertainment… However, we will soon realize that we have made a significant mistake.
Staying in bed for too long can harm the human body. (Image: Scienceabc).
Typically, people tend to spend their Sundays or sick days lounging in bed without worrying about anything. However, experts say that if a person doesn’t move for about 24 hours, one of the first organs to change is the lungs.
Specifically, gravity will no longer pull the lungs down to their normal position, causing the lower parts of the lungs to curl up. While we may not feel any difference, caution is advised, as mucus will have a harder time passing through the deformed airways. This trapped mucus can lead to infections and eventually cause pneumonia. This is why doctors often advise patients to rest in bed but to occasionally sit up and cough.
However, sometimes we get too absorbed in entertaining shows and forget to follow this advice. After just one week of continuous bed rest, the situation worsens. Typically, your muscles and bones help support the body’s weight under the influence of gravity. But since we are lying in bed for extended periods, our muscles and bones do not have to work.
As a result, unused parts will gradually deteriorate. Accordingly, for each week in bed, the human body loses approximately 1% of bone density. This deterioration makes bones more brittle and prone to fractures. This is also why astronauts, who often spend months in a zero-gravity environment, typically exercise for at least 2 hours each day and take calcium supplements.
Similarly, researchers found that if a person continues to lie in bed and refuses to get up, the human body loses 1% of muscle mass each week, especially in the thighs, hips, and shoulders—areas that are no longer being used.
In reality, these muscles absorb glucose from the blood to provide energy for activity. However, after just 10 days of lying in bed, this process slows down. As a result, any unused glucose may accumulate in the bloodstream, leading to type 2 diabetes.
At this point, the human body may develop painful sores known as bedsores. Specifically, these sores form where bony areas of the body, such as the pelvis, coccyx, and knees, are pressed against a surface for an extended time.
Constant pressure on blood vessels will destroy skin cells. Therefore, if not careful, these sores can penetrate deep through the skin and flesh. At this point, the muscles will also rapidly weaken. After 2 weeks of lying in bed, the human body will lose 10% of muscle mass. This loss leads to another problem: the less muscle a person has, the less oxygen and blood are needed for muscle function.
So, what happens to the body after a month of lying in bed?
People feel more fatigued after many days without leaving bed. (Image: BI).
According to experts, if a person lies in bed for a month, their heart will pump 30% less blood with each beat. The less oxygen circulates through the body, the more fatigued we will feel.
Therefore, if one does not get up soon, they will face many difficulties when trying to leave bed. After six months or a year of lying in bed, we will lose most of our muscle mass. Furthermore, our bones will be too weak and brittle to support the body’s weight. Ultimately, the heart will also not be strong enough to function properly.
Additionally, being confined to one spot for too long, along with the stress and anxiety caused by illness, may increase the risk of depression or sleep disorders. Therefore, we should not stay in bed for too long and should engage in daily physical activity. Instead of lying in bed unnecessarily for an extended period, we should go outside and appreciate the world.
