New research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and focused on new guidelines of the World Health Organization raises the alarm for one of the most common habits people have. Chilling out is such a natural thing for all of us, but it can really kill us one day, according to the afore-mentioned research.
During these harsh pandemic times, staying at home and avoiding contact with people as much as possible is a good idea. But that can also nurture the lack of motivation for working out. Performing physical activities on a daily basis is a great way of maintaining good physical and mental health, and the new research confirms it.
You shouldn’t be sedentary for as much as 10.5 hours a day
The new study shows that people who are sedentary for a maximum of 10.5 hours a day are at higher risk of early death and getting ill than more active people. However, we must not worry too much, as the solution is simple, according to the same source. 30 to 40 minutes a day of at least moderate physical activity can significantly lower the health risk.
But precisely what kind of physical activity is good for us? According to guidelines from the World Health Organization, any kind of physical activity counts in one way or another, whether we’re talking about taking stairs instead of an elevator, running, gardening, household chores, biking, and even the simple act of walking.
If you’re aiming for the full package of health benefits, the guidelines also recommend 150 to 300 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity for adults or 75 to 150 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. As for children and teenagers, the recommendation is that they perform moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes each day.
The article was originally published in The Washington Post.
