Just one minute of activity is good for you!
7 easy ways you can sit less
Stop the clock! Is it possible that a mere 60 seconds of activity can help you feel better and be healthier? It’s true. Experts say a minute spent moving is better than a minute spent sitting, especially if that minute of inactivity involves staring at a screen. And you know how quickly the minutes can add up.
Think about it: moving more is something we can all manage, without added cost or time away from work, friends or family. In fact, not moving enough is costly to your mental and physical well-being.
Attitude shift
Dr. Travis Saunders is one of Canada’s leading researchers on sedentary behavior. He is a kinesiologist and associate professor in the Department of Applied Human Sciences at the University of Prince Edward Island. You can read some of his latest research here.
Dr. Saunders says if you’re moving, even for just a few minutes at a time frequently throughout the day, you’re going to feel happier and become healthier.
“When I started my PhD in 2009, we thought that as long as you did 45 to 60 minutes of exercise a day, you were going to live a long, healthy life. It didn’t matter how long you spent sitting or watching TV. If you were really physically active, nothing else really seemed to matter. It was around that time that people started to think, ‘Maybe how we spend the rest of that 24 hours does matter.’”
It matters more than you think.
Cutting edge science
Dr. Saunders is the sedentary behavior content expert for Canada’s new 24-hour movement guidelines for adults.
His research has led to his own attitude shift. “I was one of those people who did tons of physical activity, but also had tons of sedentary behavior,” he says. “I started getting interested in this emerging field of study. The amount of time you spend sitting and the amount of time you spend on screens impacts your health. Since then, we’ve realized sleep is also a really important part of the equation.”
What happens when we don’t move?
Alarming physical changes occur when we sit or lie down for long periods without moving. Sitting reduces our “insulin sensitivity,” meaning the body’s cells don’t process glucose as effectively, which causes blood sugar to rise.
Dr. Saunders says eating after a long period of sitting causes a big wave of blood sugar, followed by a big wave of insulin. High levels of blood sugar damage blood vessels and high levels of insulin are concerning. Long periods of inactivity also increase the levels of fat in the blood. These factors lead to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, death, some types of cancer, depression, lower cognitive function and lower physical function.
Shutting down screen time
Technology can be a blessing, but it also carries a heavy burden. “If you’re sitting, especially in front of a screen, that can displace other more healthier behaviors,” says Dr. Saunders.
Sitting or lying down and staring at a screen for long periods displaces light forms of activity, the amount of time spent outside and interacting with other people. It also makes it harder to fall asleep (and reduces the quality of sleep) and exposes you to food ads, which can lead to mindless eating.
“On the one hand, too much screen time and inactivity is bad for us,” Dr. Saunders says. “We often forget that the combination also takes us away from the things that are actively good for us.“
Dr. Saunders’ suggestions to sit less
Break up long periods of sitting whenever possible
Get up every 20 to 30 minutes (two to three times an hour)
While you’re up, walk around/move about for a few minutes
If you can, work in situations that don’t require you to sit for a long time
Get a desk that lets you sit or stand
Stand when it feels good to stand, sit when it feels good to sit (don’t overdo either)
Standing makes it easier to go for a walk. It removes the very slight barrier of getting out of your chair to get going
“It’s less intimidating to think, I can fit in five minutes of activity after breakfast, before lunch, after supper and before bed. That’s easier to deal with than thinking, ‘Where I am going to fit in 20 minutes of exercise?’” says Dr. Saunders.
Friendly advice
Dr. Saunders knows there’s strength in numbers. He’s inspired by his peer, Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, a leading Canadian obesity researcher. You can read Dr. Freedhoff’s blog Weighty Matters here.
Dr. Saunders’ paraphrases his friend’s important and inspiring call-to-action: “‘[Move] as much as you can, as often as you can, and everything counts.’ It’s a really good maxim for physical activity. Fit in as much movement as possible, whatever that amount is, and fit it in as frequently as you can [during the course of the day/week.] It doesn’t matter whether it’s time at the gym, or two to three minutes to get up and clear your head, it all benefits your health.”
It’s a health-care prescription we can all manage. Moving more today means moving more tomorrow.
If you’re ready to #MakeYourMove, check out this post featuring easy ways to integrate more movement into your day.