A recent article published by the British Journal of Sport Medicine (BJSM) discussed the importance of staying physically active during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While it seems like we’ve all heard it said before that it’s important to exercise, what we may not realize is how much less movement we are getting during our day because we are more or less “stuck” inside. Think about how many times you used to shop at the mall, walk with friends in the neighborhood, volunteer at your granddaughter’s school, or even go to the gym. For many, if not most of us, those activities have either decreased or ceased to exist in our pandemic lifestyle.
What has been discovered is that the time we used to spend up and about in the world is now primarily become sitting time. Research has found that there’s been a 30% decrease in physical activity and along with that, a 30% increase in sitting. While that may not seem like a big deal, it is vital to remember that inactivity and sedentary behaviors increase risk factors for for cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, bone and joint disease, depression and premature death.
Daily, we hear about the staggering number of COVID cases and COVID deaths worldwide (350,000,000 cases and over 1,000,000 deaths), but what we don’t hear about as much is that researchers are saying that we are beginning to face two pandemics- COVID and inactivity! The BJSM article states that “over 3 million deaths per year are caused by physical inactivity alone.”1
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has stated that older adults, especially those with underlying medical conditions, are at higher risk to have more severe cases of COVID. 2
The good news about increasing our amounts of physical activity is that it provides immediate and long-term benefits. According to the CDC, following a workout, we get an immediate boost in brain health. We think more clearly and feel less anxious- both of which are extremely helpful during this stressful time.
Additionally, as we all know, exercise helps to decrease our risk of certain cancers, unhealthy weight gain, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Plus, it helps to strengthen our muscles and bones and decrease our risk of falls and serious injury. 3
And now, maybe more than ever, it’s so important to have a healthy immune system, which exercise contributes to as well!
It was previously recommended that we get 150-300 minutes per week of physical activity. Now (due to the increased amount of sitting time), the World Health Organization increased the minimum amount of time to 300 minutes per week. That’s a little over 40 minutes per day!
Of course, it’s also recommended that we decrease our sitting time as well. Below is an infographic published by the BJSM on how to achieve your recommended activity time. It’s important to note that this does not just mean “exercise”. Tasks like housework and gardening, for example, can also count towards that time. It’s all about getting up and moving. 1
It is not just a good idea, but essential that we focus on increasing our activity levels to help decrease our risk of the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle and suffering from a more severe case of COVID.
Here’s a link to my video on Simple Ways to Increase Daily Activity:
Simple Ways to Increase Your Daily Activity
1. Set a Movement Timer
It’s not “bad” to sit down and rest, read, or watch some TV, but it becomes harmful to our health when we do it consistently for long periods of time. If you know you’re going to sit down for a bit, set a timer for 30 minutes.
When the timer goes off, get up and do a lap around the inside of your house. You can go back to your activity, but it’s important to get up consistently!
2. Organize a Space in Your House
We all have that one closet or one cabinet that is just overflowing with old clothes or stuff we haven’t seen in years. You know the one- the one you always say you’re gong to get to, but never seem to have the time.
Now is the perfect time to organize those spaces. It’s not like we have plans we need to get to, so let’s clean out those pesky catch-all areas.
Think of it this way- you’re not only getting in activity, but when your friends and relatives can come over within the next year, you won’t have to feel embarrassed by that area of your home.
3. Stand While Talking on the Phone/Using Video Chat
It seems like most of us have continued to increase our connections with loved ones through video chats and phone calls this year, which is great!
It’s common for most of us to sit down to talk with someone, because that’s likely what we would do if they were actually in the room with us. Instead, try standing and even pacing while talking.
Movement actually helps us think, so it could be beneficial to your conversation as well to move around while you chat. Even with video chatting, most of us have handheld devices that we hold up to ourselves anyways, so no one will mind if you stand while you talk. If they do, challenge them to do the same!
4. Pair Activity with Something You Already Do
Many times, the problem is not that we don’t want to move, it’s that it’s not built into our routine. A good way to create a habit around it is by pairing activity with something you do every day.
For example, you could decide to do 10 minutes of activity before every meal, so you have ensured 30 minutes of activity built-in to the day.
5. “Reward” Yourself for Activity
“Reward” is in quotes here for a reason. When it comes to rewarding yourself for activity, it’s important to use things that are also at least somewhat “healthy” or things you do daily that you enjoy.
For example, you could make a pact with yourself that you will not have your morning coffee until you do 10 minutes of activity. That way you’re not adding any unhealthy activities to your lifestyle, you’re just giving a boost to your activity level!
6. Do an Exercise Video Online
I, of course, am biased because I have a YouTube channel dedicated to exercises for older adults. Most of my exercise videos are less than 8 minutes! You can check that out using this link:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRxZVn1cDGyo_p7ZbxhkeUQ
But, there are so many videos out on YouTube that are completely free! You can find all kinds of workouts by searching whatever key words you want.
There’s yoga, exercises to improve your tennis game, Pilates, dancing, bodyweight strength workouts- pretty much your options are endless! It’s a great way to get in a workout every day!
I hope you enjoyed this article, and will use some of these tips to increase your daily activity levels!
Here is the infographic from BJSM:
(This is also in PDF format at the top, so you can print it)
Sources:
- https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2020/11/11/bjsports-2020-103282
- https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0625-update-expands-covid-19.html
- https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
