The consequences of insufficient exercise lead to terrible diseases – this is what you need to do at least one day

Prolonged sitting and physical inactivity pose significant health risks

According to the official statistics portal 2019. data, 48 percent. residents take more than 30 minutes to walk or bike. However, a Eurobarometer survey conducted in 2017 shows that up to 51% of the Lithuanian population does not engage in any physical activity and Lithuania ranks 19th in terms of level of physical activity in the countries of the European Union.

In response to these figures, Arina Kavaliauskaitė, a specialist in public health promotion at the Alytus City Council Public Health Office, says that the physical activity of the Lithuanian population is insufficient and that more and more time is being spent on sit and passively spend free time. As is well known, prolonged sitting and physical inactivity pose a significant health risk.

“If you sit all the time while working and fall on the couch after work, sooner or later you will feel like your body has become less like it used to be, or you have experienced pain that has never occurred before. Passive lifestyle affects movement functions and mental health. When sitting for a long time, the muscles of the legs and buttocks do not receive a load, as a result of which they weaken, which often becomes a cause of back pain. If the workplace is not adapted to sitting correctly, it strongly affects the posture of the person, many times the back swells and the shoulders are rounded, which can cause respiratory and digestive disorders ”, says the specialist.

He also adds that physical activity is an important determinant of energy expenditure, maintaining energy balance and a healthy body weight, so that physical inactivity not only increases the risk of obesity but also increases blood cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and in some cases, it becomes a cause of premature death.

“Men with an inactive lifestyle are more prone to erectile dysfunction, prostate problems, and hormonal imbalances. When a man spends many hours sitting, the blood flow in the small pelvis slows down and this can lead to inflammation and the development of more serious diseases. Lack of exercise increases fat deposits, which often leads to hormonal imbalances. The female hormone estrogen is produced in adipose tissue; this explains why the breasts in men can become enlarged and the abdomen becomes round and protruding, ”says A. Kavaliauskaitė.

A sedentary lifestyle affects not only the body but also mental health. Lack of physical activity leads to the development of depression and anxiety. According to research, constant sitting causes a deficiency of endorphins, which are happiness hormones, the production of which increases with physical activity and training.

“It is very important to understand that physical activity is one of the best tools at this time to help you feel better and break a bit with the idea of ​​quarantine. If you want to be more physically active, consider it a daily habit and maximize the benefits for your health. If you haven’t developed such a habit yet, set goals for yourself, start with the smallest. It will be great to start not from 10,000 steps, but maybe 5,000. In this way, physical activity will bring you pleasure and joy, and when you feel ready to do more, do it, ”he advises.

A. Kavaliauskaitė suggests encouraging family members to contribute to new challenges, as support from the environment provides more motivation and confidence.

“During the quarantine period, there is a lack of community, so you can join remote group trainings, the offer of which is very diverse, so you will not only actively spend time, but also stay with other people. So discover a form of movement that will delight and evoke positive emotions, and know that physical activity is the best gift for yourself, that it reduces various risk factors for health, ”emphasizes the specialist.

Step-by-Step Gadgets Show: Walking Habits Are Changing

Although research around the world shows a decline in population physical activity over time, mobile apps that help track walking habits have also shown positive changes during this year’s quarantine period.

Vlada Musvydaitė, a health motivator and developer of the # walk15 app, says that quarantine restrictions have made walking one of the most acceptable forms of movement, as evidenced by increasing statistics on movement results.

“We see that during the quarantine, physical activity has increased very strongly. Of 115 thousand. This year, one person exceeds an average of 4 to 5 thousand people per day. Steps. We have up to 15 thousand. millionaires: people who have achieved one million steps a year. And a record number of the population participated in the annual walking competition, in which we met all the safety requirements this year and they encouraged us to move in small groups, ”says V. Musvydaitė on the positive changes in movement habits .

Despite these observations, we still haven’t reached the recommended levels of physical activity. The health motivator is most concerned with student physical activity statistics, which are reflected in WHO research. Recent data, looking at the activity of 15-year-old students, found that only 12% met the recommendations. girls and 17 percent. Children.

A study conducted four years earlier showed the same results for girls, while the score for boys was 23 percent. – this indicates that the situation tends to worsen. It is estimated that about 80 percent. children and adolescents do not achieve the recommended amount of physical activity.

“Children’s physical activity is declining, so it is important to get as many students as possible to join in health activities, to do so through the family prism. Although we find that events promoting movement attract more women, an active mother attracts both boys and men. Children, seeing a good example from their parents, repeat it ”, says V. Musvydaitė.

Given the current situation, the health motivator emphasizes the importance of responsible movement: it is better not to choose popular nature trails to walk, choose less visited routes, and try to move more at home without a safe option in your environment.

For those who find it difficult to force themselves to move more, V. Musvydaitė suggests remembering that even a few minutes of active activity has a positive effect on the human body and emotional state. In the absence of motivation, it is useful to know what we can get from walking for different durations:

5 minutes – improves mood
15 minutes: lowers blood sugar
30 minutes: increases the chances of losing weight
40 minutes: reduces the risk of vascular and cardiovascular disease

Movements are limited, but we have a choice

Sports coach Vytautas Kugelevičius also warns that in recent years the movement habits of the population are improving, the proportion of people who like to flee in their spare time is expanding and becoming fashionable.

“Our physical activity and movement habits are changing in the right direction. I remember once, while jogging outside in winter, you received a lot of strange looks or even accusations. It is gratifying that today all this has changed and you can meet like-minded people running in winter or at other times of the year quite often, it is normal or even fashionable. I hope this fashion only becomes popular, ”says the coach.

According to V. Kugelevičius, 10 thousand. the speed of steps per day, which is equivalent to almost two hours of walking, is an achievable goal for both beginners and advanced. According to him, today it is no longer a challenge only for us, thanks to various programs or gadgets we can follow the success of the challenges to meet our friends or family, which adds additional enthusiasm and achieve the goals set for ourselves. .

However, the coach agrees that during quarantine, movement is one of the biggest challenges many face. According to him, it is believed that sports can only be played by visiting a sports club or other place suitable for sports, which must be well prepared physically, which generates fear in those who do not exercise regularly.

“We have to adapt to the current situation and remember things that many may have forgotten. First, these are mobility exercises, exercise or stretching that do not require special equipment, we can do them almost anywhere. By dedicating ten to fifteen minutes in the morning or at night, we will not only improve the range of movements, strengthen the joints or improve posture, but also improve metabolism and heart rate ”, emphasizes V. Kugelevičius.

The trainer advises not to forget about pauses of movement during work, during which it is useful to take a short walk or perform stretching exercises, especially sitting in the most vulnerable places: back, spine, neck. And at night, no longer wanting to find a suitable place to walk, he recommends starting online workouts, which abound in the online space today: they allow you to move around with professional supervision, without requiring special equipment or exceptional physical training.

On the other hand, not everyone manages to live a healthier and more active life; For those whose work and leisure are limited to sitting, the coach reminds that these habits are then costly not only at the expense of physical but also emotional health.

“In an unequivocal way, I would like to advise that I get off the wheel: I look at the screen all day to be able to reward myself by looking at another screen, and I stare at the screen. It is important to change this circle by rewarding yourself with a walk in nature, active recreation with exercise or yoga exercises. By spending all day in a chair, we not only run the risk of avoiding back, joint and spinal injuries, worsening our posture or slowing down our metabolism, but it can also affect our emotional state. We can become more irritable, lonely or even plunging into depression, “said V. Kugelevičius.