Your Body NEEDS You To Move
Our bodies are made to move. There’s around 360 joints in the human body and much like joints outside our body, joints within our body, allow movement to occur. Our body NEEDS movement.
If our joints don’t move, they rust. They may not rust exactly, but movement does provide a regular dose of Synovial Fluid into the joint, which is sort of like home-made WD-40, allowing easier movement. Without it, you can get stiff and sore. So… MOVE!
Let’s explore how movement can impact your health and your brain.
FOR YOUR HEALTH
Moving frequently ensures blood flow around the body, but more importantly it increases blood flow in the muscles that are holding different positions. Movement gives the muscles a break, decreases the load and stress placed on them and decreases risk of injury.
But it’s not just joints and muscles, an active lifestyle, compared to sitting around most of the day, is associated with improved body composition (‘weight’), decreased risk of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers as well as better mental health and wellbeing.
One study showed that adults who were sedentary for a total of 12.5 hours per day had the highest risk of all-cause mortality.
Let’s do the math.
8 hours at work? 2 hour commute? 1 hour during meal times? 2 hours Netflix? How long do you sit for?
FOR YOUR BRAIN
Short exercise breaks (Exercise Snacks), can help you re-focus at work.
Win win!!
HOW OFTEN
Berkley University (California) recommends that you move at least 3-4 minutes every hour, preferably every 30-45 minutes.
We like to call these work breaks or Exercise Snacks. Exercise is just movement performed with a health (or athletic) goal. But, if you have negative connotations with the word, you can call them Movement Snacks if you like.
Even if you’re set up at your desk, meeting the most ergonomic standards, your body still needs movement. If you’re not set up perfectly, or if you’re experiencing pain, it’s advised that you take more regular Exercise Snacks.
SOME EXERCISE SNACK IDEAS
Convinced you need to move more? If you’re in the office, here’s some Exercise Snack ideas to get you started.
Try our video!
Walk to the kitchen to make a cup of tea
Leave the office for a coffee (don’t forget your keep cup!)
Walk to a window, check out the view
Take a Walking Phone Call
Walk over to your colleague instead of emailing or calling
Go to the bathroom, and take the long way around, especially stairs if that’s an option.
Do some squats and heel raises while faxing/photocopying/printing
Wander along the train platform instead of waiting still
Take rubbish to the bin furthest away
Work from home? Then there’s probably heaps more to do! Try…
Trying our video!
Washing the dishes
Emptying the dishwasher
Putting out the laundry
Making the bed
Cleaning the kitchen
Pulling out some weeds
Cleaning the car, 3 minutes at a time.
Any other ideas? Share them! Comment on our social media posts!
SO, IS THAT EXERCISE SNACK MY WORKOUT FOR THE DAY?
No.
Science is still arguing about how much exercise, movement, sitting and standing we need or don’t need.
But we know that we do need movement and less prolonged sitting, throughout the day. For superior health benefits, like increased metabolism, increased strength, increased fitness and increased brain power, we also need a decent workout. We need to get our heart rate up and challenge our muscles. So, considering that, here’s our advice:
Achieve at least, 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days per week at a moderate intensity.
Get your 10,000 steps per day, and spread them out.
Yes, the 10,000 can include your 30 minutes exercise but keep in mind that the 10,000 steps will only get you down to about 14.5 hours of sedentary time if you’re awake for 16 hours.
#eSnacko
So instead of going for A Smoko let’s have E Snacko? Just made that up, who’s with me!? Upload your pic or video and tag us! #esnacko @revawellness.au
Let us know your favourite esnacko!
Don’t be greedy, share it
Was this helpful? Why not help some others, share it with your team!
~ Biara Webster, Exercise Physiologist
References
· Interval training for cardiometabolic and brain health, ACSM Health & Fitness (2018)
· uhs.berkeley.edu/activitybreaks
· E. Stamatakis (2018), Is the time right for quantitative public health guidelines on sitting? A narrative review of sedentary behaviour research paradigms and findings, Br J Sports Med, doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-099131
· K Diaz et al., 2017, Patterns of sedentary behaviour and mortality in U.S. middle-aged and older adults: a national cohort study¸ Ann Inern Med, DOI:10.7326/M17-0212
