Sleep More, Sit Less
Sleeping a little bit longer, rather than sitting around, may be part of the answer according to research from Iowa State. Performing light physical activity such as walking around while talking on the phone or standing while preparing meals may also be beneficial. Jacob Meyer, Ph.D., an assistant professor of kinesiology, says that people may not view this kind of light physical activity as noteworthy, but it can have a measurable influence on your mood and body mass index. “People may not even think about some of these activities as physical activity,” Meyer said. “Light activity is much lower intensity than going to the gym or walking to work but taking these steps to break up long periods of sitting may have an impact.” The study found that making the subtle changes suggested was associated with better mood and that light physical activity provided benefits for up to a year.
Source:
Jacob D. Meyer et al, “Current and 1-Year Psychological and Physical Effects of Replacing Sedentary Time with Time in Other Behaviors.” American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2020, DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.02.018
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- This week’s magical, refreshing drink recipe: Andy’s Elixir
