A few decades back, people moved a lot physically in daily life for various activities like buying groceries, banking, household activities, etc. Maids were rare, and dishwashers, washing machines, vacuum cleaners were not affordable for everyone. There was no internet. So, people knowingly or unknowingly moved their bodies in various activities every day. Movement was an integral part of daily life, and people did not have to consciously work on being physically active.
In modern times, we have the internet for various things. With a single button click, things get completed. Machines have become affordable. Maids have become common. And the majority of the jobs have become sedentary. Due to these reasons, modern man’s daily physical movement has come down to a bare minimum. The majority of us are leading sedentary lifestyles where we don’t spend even 30 minutes in a physical activity.
A sedentary lifestyle is a common happening seen across the world. From children to adults, we are hooked to our machines and gadgets. Many of us have started seeing physical activity as a great strain to the body, and it is perceived only as a necessity for weight loss. Unless we consciously choose physical activity to become part of our daily life, we end up leading a sedentary lifestyle.
So, what is wrong with having a sedentary lifestyle? Why should a person be physically active in life? These are some questions someone may have. Below are the problems with leading a sedentary lifestyle.
15 problems caused due to sedentary lifestyle:
1. It is easy to gain weight and become obese with such a lifestyle. This, in turn, leads to other issues like low self-esteem and poor self-image.
2. Physical activity is essential for emotional and mental health. Not doing enough physical activity leads to anxiety and depression. It also leads to dementia.
3. It increases the risk of diabetes.
4. It increases the risk of various types of cancers.
5. It increases the risk of heart ailments.
6. It may lead to increased hair loss.
7. Rule of our body muscles is – Use or Lose. It means, when we don’t use the muscles in our body, muscle mass is lost, and muscles shrink. They lose strength and endurance.
8. Bones become weaker.
9. It leads to poor immunity, which makes a person easily catch various infections and seasonal flus.
10. It leads to poor blood circulation.
11. It may lead to hormonal imbalance.
12. It Increases lethargy.
13. It leads to low energy levels.
14. It causes poor quality of sleep and makes it difficult to fall asleep, leading to insomnia.
15. When a person has a high chance of going through all the above issues, it ultimately leads to a short life span.
Our physical body is designed for movement, and not moving it or barely moving it leads to several diseases. Not leading a physically active life is living against the laws of nature, and eventually, such a sedentary lifestyle leads to unhappiness in life. We need to consciously make physical activity part of our life. Being physically active should become our lifestyle because that’s how our body is designed. Below are the benefits of leading a physically active life.
17 benefits of leading a physically active life:
1. It leads to high energy levels throughout the day where a person feels light and active. This improves productivity in work and home.
2. It creates a better mood as physical activity releases feel-good hormones in the body.
3. A good physical activity helps to de-stress.
4. It helps with depression.
5. It relaxes the body.
6. It helps in releasing the toxins from the body.
7. It improves the quality of sleep and helps in having a deep sleep which is rejuvenating and refreshing.
8. It lowers the risk of diabetes.
9. It lowers the risk of heart ailments.
10. It leads to better weight management. Healthy weight leads to healthy confidence levels and good self-esteem.
11. It lowers body cholesterol.
12. It strengthens bones, muscles, and joints. The more a person uses the body muscles, the stronger and healthier muscles become.
13. It leads to increased immunity and protects from seasonal flus and infections.
14. It regulates blood pressure.
15. It improves skin and hair health.
16. It helps with brain health and memory.
17. It improves the chances of leading a long, productive life.
These are the benefits of leading a physically active life. It is recommended to spend at least 30 minutes per day in any physical activity. This is the minimum recommendation. The more physically active a person is, the better the quality of life will become. Below are some physical activities you can plan to do.
10 PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES YOU CAN DO:
1. Walking – This is the simplest and easiest form of physical activity anyone can do. This does not need any machines. Anyone can do this in any place.
2. Proper gymming – It’s worth to take the help of a gym trainer and do gymming. When gymming is done correctly, even 30 minutes of time in the gym yields good results.
3. Swimming – This is a fun activity for children and adults alike.
4. Gardening – If you have a garden, take some time to spend in nurturing your plants. In the process, your body, mind, and soul get nurtured.
5. Dancing – You can dance to your heart’s content like nobody is watching you. It’s a great fun-filled exercise that de-stresses you completely.
6. Yoga – This is an excellent workout for your body, mind, and soul.
7. After every 30 minutes of sitting, take a break and walk around. Research proves that this small step lowers several health risks and leads to great improvement in one’s health.
8. Cycling – This is a great activity for children and adults. You can cycle to your office or nearby grocery stores.
9. Whenever possible, look for opportunities for doing physical activity like walking to nearby places, using stairs instead of the lift, doing your household chores without machines now and then, etc.
10. Playing outdoor games – You can involve in playing outdoor games at least once a week. This recharges you and gives exposure to Sunlight. This also helps you set the right example for your children.
These are some ways you can involve in various physical activities. Physical activity is one of the key essentials of our life, and its high time, we give importance to this key aspect. If we are too lazy or busy to take time out for physical activity of at least 30 minutes per day, in some years, we will be forced to pay the price in the form of health issues.
Today is the right day to start physical activity. Don’t wait anymore.
Wishing you health and strength.
