Too busy, I don’t have time to move!
How much movement and what type of movement is essential for a healthy body and spine?
A 2019 study found that “People who did no activity and sat for more than eight hours a day had more than twice (107%) the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. This was compared to people who did at least one hour of physical activity and sat less than four hours a day (the “optimal group”).” 1.
But it wasn’t enough to sit less. People who did less than 150 minutes of physical activity a week and sat less than four hours a day still had a 44-60% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than the optimal group.
People who sit a lot (more than six hours a day), replacing one hour of sitting with equal amounts of moderate physical activity like strenuous gardening and housework, but not standing, was associated with a 20% reduction in dying from cardiovascular disease.
Stay with me because I’ll share a couple of easy hacks to move more.
The Australian Department of Health recommends
2.5 to 5 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity
1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous-intensity physical activity
an equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous activities.
Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you do no physical activity right now - this might sound too intense, so start with what you can, then slowly build-up to the recommended amount. 2.
What to do?
Get your steps up!
Track your steps and movement to reach your 10,000 steps. Very easy to do with smartphones and smartwatches - I love my apple watch as I love to close all my rings, and if I don’t get my 10000 steps every day, I go for a pleasant evening stroll. (You can add your family or friends and make a friendly challenge or support group where all of you are working toward the same goal.
Find simple exercises to do
Exercise: Include muscle-strengthening activities as part of your daily physical activity at least two days each week. It can look like:
push-ups
pull-ups
squats or lunges
lifting weights
household tasks that involve lifting, carrying or digging.
When to do it?
Using dead time:
With everything in life being so FAST, there is less and less time to wait, but when you do, use it to do something, like postural exercises or a stretch—waiting for your kettle to boil, standing at the printer, while you watch your show or news.
PRO TIP: Avoid doing exercises before going to sleep. But you can do gentle meditation or stretches before bedtime instead.
Incidental Exercise:
Incidental exercise, think walking fast or cycling part or all of the way to work – or taking stairs are great ways to become or stay active without much extra time.
However, if you are still in pain after all these exercises and cannot move, see a health professional help you get moving because moving better matters.
References
1. Sitting Time, Physical Activity, and Risk of Mortality in Adults
J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019 Apr, 73 (16) 2062–2072
2. https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-adults-18-to-64-years
