Research has shown that exercise can improve your life expectancy, because it lowers your risk of developing age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
On the other hand, sedentary activity, which is any low-energy activity that involves sitting, reclining or lying, is linked with disease and early death. It may be difficult however, to find time, space, or fun ways to get in exercise during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to an analysis from CNBC about a study published in the British Journal of Medicine, new research suggests that you may only need 11 minutes of exercise each day to live longer.
The new study finds people who sat for about eight to 10 hours daily, but managed to clock about 11 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise a day, were less likely to die than those who only got about two minutes of exercise a day.
In perspective, the physical activity guidelines for Americans suggest that adults should get 150-300 minutes a week (or 20-45 minutes a day) of moderate-intensity activity, or 75-150 minutes a week (or 10 to 20 minutes a day) of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. or, an equivalent combination of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.
If your daily routine involves a lot of sitting, consider setting a timer to remind yourself to get up and move every few hours.
It’s not clear exactly how much physical activity people need to counteract the effects of sitting all day, but CNBC states this new research shows that a little bit of movement each day is better than none and could have an effect on your lifespan.