Randy SheltonHow to Improve Physical Health
Through Physical Activity
Your physical health is the direct result of lifestyle choices and behaviors around
sleep, diet, exercise recorderonline.marketminute, hygiene and relaxation. The good news is that the same
strategies that improve your well-being in one area will likely apply to others, too.
Think back to a time when you successfully changed a habit like sleeping better or
getting more exercise. What did you do to make it happen? Perhaps you trialed
different programs, woke up 30 minutes early or invested in a new pair of sneakers.
Now try taking the same approach to a new facet of your wellness routine — how
about working up a sweat or trying an at-home yoga workout?
Few things have a bigger impact on your body than exercise. It improves brain
health, helps manage weight, reduces the risk of disease and strengthens bones and
muscles. And everyone benefits from regular exercise, regardless of age, sex, or
physical ability.
Unfortunately, only about 1 in 5 adult women and 1 in 4 adult men meet the weekly
guidelines for physical activity (1). The reasons for this include sedentary work
environments, high amounts of sedentary screen time at home, and lack of
knowledge on how to get started being more active.
Getting more exercise isn’t easy. But it can be easier if you take it slow, break up
long periods of sitting into smaller chunks and find ways to integrate physical
activity into everyday activities. Start with aiming for 30 minutes of activity each
day that raises your heart rate or challenges your breathing, such as a walk, jog,
ride on a bike, or at-home cardio, strength, or yoga videos. Breaking this up into
three 10-minute segments can also be just as effective.
Incorporating family and friends into your physical activity can help you stay
motivated and enjoy the social component of being active. You can go on walks or
hikes together, play tennis or golf, and even practice a dance or yoga routine with a
friend.
Having a network of supportive friends and family members is linked to improved
physical health in several ways, including helping you maintain a healthier weight,
decreasing depressive and anxious feelings, and encouraging you to exercise more
often. This is because when people are socially supported, they tend to engage in
healthier habits such as eating a more balanced diet and exercising regularly.
Having healthy friends can also provide support during challenging times, such as
during the pandemic when it’s hard to be physically active due to restrictions on
going out and using public transportation. In addition, a positive social support
system can help to alleviate the effects of stress and pain caused by chronic health
conditions like arthritis or diabetes. (2)
