Live Longer by Moving

Nowadays, people sit quite a bit in their everyday routines and this is considered as having a sedentary life. Sedentary behaviours are seen as sitting at work or home, getting to and from places.  This also includes time spent sitting at a desk, traveling in a car or bus, reading, playing cards, watching television, or using a computer.

A  study of 8,000 middle-aged and older adults in the American Journal of Epidemiology revealed that substituting a half-hour of sitting around with physical activity of moderate or vigorous intensity or duration can cut the risk of early death by as much as 35 percent. Even replacing just 30 minutes of sitting with low-intensity physical activity would lower the risk of early death by 17 percent. The researchers found that even short bursts of activity of just a minute or two provided a health benefit as well.

Here are some small ways to get moving:

1. Stand at a coffee break instead of sitting

2. Walk at lunchtime

3. Set an alarm on your computer or phone and just walk around

4. Do sit stands from your chair

5. Take stretch breaks

6. Take the stairs

7. Sit on an exercise ball while working at a computer

8. Park further away

9. Do an exercise video for 5 minutes

Remember you don’t have to do a lot to change your life. Doing any kind of activity will impact your life.