We’ve all heard that a sedentary lifestyle can do us more harm than good. But exactly how much more harm? The effects of being sedentary go far beyond what you might think; more than hurting your heart and bringing on weight gain. We’ve created a quick list of eight reasons you should keep moving.
8 Reasons to Keep Moving
1 – Brighten your mood and boost your brainpower
Consistent activity has mood-boosting benefits. People who sit for more than six hours a day are more prone to feeling down, nervous, restless, and tired. When you keep moving your body produces mood-enhancing endorphins. When you exercise, your heart gets pumping and increases the blood flow to your brain. That increased blood flow helps with multi-tasking, planning, and memory.
2 – Relieve stress on your body
When you are feeling stiff or sore in your knees, shoulders, back, or neck, resting your body isn’t always the best medicine. Those endorphins we mentioned above do more than just improve your mood. They also act as the body’s natural pain reliever. The more you keep moving, the more consistently your body pumps out that natural pain relief, benefiting those stubborn aches and pains.
3 – Correct your posture
It goes without saying that proper posture is good for us. When you keep moving, your core muscles stay strong. A strong core supports better sitting and standing posture.
4 – Have more energy
Active movement increases your energy and encourages the release of norepinephrine and dopamine, which make you feel less tired. It seems counterintuitive but when you’re feeling tired, keep moving to find your energy again.
5 – Improve certain health conditions
Regular and consistent movement can benefit health conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, back pain, osteoarthritis, and depression.
6 – Disease prevention
According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, sitting can have up to a 66% higher risk of developing certain types of cancer compared to those who aren’t sedentary. By sitting less, you will lower your risk for colon, endometrial, and lung cancers. If that alone isn’t enough for you to keep moving, there are other benefits as well. Studies have shown that sitting less and moving more also lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
7 – Improve your dental health
Believe it or not, regular movement improves your dental health. Studies have shown that adults who keep moving and keep a healthy lifestyle are less prone to suffer from periodontitis. This is because movement helps by lowering levels of inflammation.
8 – You’ll sleep better
Regular activity improves the quality of your shuteye time. A study published by Mental Health and Physical Activity shows that by exercising at least 150 minutes a week, your risk of daytime drowsiness drops and good sleep experiences increase.
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