ExerciseĪ purposeful activity carried out to improve health or fitness, such as jogging, cycling or lifting weights to increase strength. work), household chores, play, games, sports, or planned exercise in the context of daily, family, and community activities.Įveryday things such as walking to the bus stop, carrying bags or climbing stairs all count, and can add up to the 150 minutes of exercise a week recommended for the average adult. walking or cycling), occupational activity (i.e. Daily physical activityįor adults, physical activity can include recreational or leisure-time physical activity, transportation (e.g. Any activity that raises your heart rate makes you breathe faster, and makes you feel warmer counts towards your exercise!Īn easy way to look at types of physical activity is to put them into four separate categories. This can be either moderate intensity exercise, such as walking, hiking or riding a bike, or it can be more vigorous activities, such as running, swimming fast, aerobics or skipping with a rope. It is recommended that the average adult should do between 75 and 150 minutes of exercise a week. One of the great things about physical activity is that there are endless possibilities and there will be an activity to suit almost everyone! 'It is exercise alone that supports the spirits, and keeps the mind in vigour.' Marcus Tullius Cicero What is physical activity?Īt a very basic level, physical activity means any movement of your body that uses your muscles and expends energy. Find the one that works for you, and let’s all get physical! But as something that we do because we value its positive benefits to our well-being.Īs part of our work to promote better mental health, we have produced a pocket guide to show the positive effect physical activity can have on your mental well-being, including some tips and suggestions to help you get started.īeing active doesn’t just mean doing sports or going to the gym. We need to change how we view physical activity in the UK to not see it as something we ‘have to do’, ‘should do’ or ‘ought to do’ for our health.
Long term benefits of physical activity download#
You can read the guide below, download it as a PDF or buy printed copies in our online shop. There are many reasons why physical activity is good for your body – having a healthy heart and improving your joints and bones are just two, but did you know that physical activity is also beneficial for your mental health and well-being?
Long term benefits of physical activity how to#
Studies suggest that inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease, just like high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking.This guide provides you with tips on how to look after your mental health using exercise. Inactive people are more likely to develop heart disease than people who are physically active. Possibly helping you quit smoking, which is a major risk factor for heart disease.Reducing levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a sign of inflammation and an increased risk of heart disease.Helping your body manage blood sugar and insulin levels, which lowers your risk for type 2 diabetes.Maintaining a healthy weight over time once you have lost weight.Reducing risk of overweight and obesity, when combined with a reduced-calorie diet.Raising HDL (high density lipoproteins) (“good”) cholesterol levels.Lowering blood pressure and triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood).Physical activity can help control some of these risk factors by: Blocked blood flow to the heart muscle causes a heart attack.Ĭertain traits, conditions, or habits may raise your risk for coronary heart disease. If the clot becomes large enough, it can mostly or completely block blood flow through a coronary artery. This causes a blood clot to form on the surface of the plaque. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture (break open). Plaque narrows the arteries and reduces blood flow to your heart muscle.
These arteries supply your heart muscle with oxygen-rich blood. This is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside your coronary arteries.
When done regularly, moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity can lower your risk for coronary heart disease.
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