Regular physical activity is one of the most powerful things you can do for your health. It lowers the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, several cancers, depression and falls, and it helps sleep. The good news from the latest guidelines: every bit counts, and you do not need a gym.
The WHO guidelines for adults
Adults aged 18–64 (WHO, 2020)
- Aerobic activity
- 150–300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix
- Muscle strengthening
- Moderate or greater intensity, involving all major muscle groups, on 2 or more days a week
- Sitting
- Limit sedentary time and replace it with activity of any intensity
- Older adults
- The same, plus balance and strength activities on 3 or more days a week to prevent falls
Moderate or vigorous? The talk test
During moderate activity you breathe faster and feel warmer, but you can still talk in full sentences. Think brisk walking, cycling on the flat, doubles tennis or energetic gardening. During vigorous activity you can only say a few words before needing a breath: running, swimming fast, cycling uphill, singles tennis. As a rough rule, one minute of vigorous activity gives about the same benefit as two minutes of moderate activity.
Sitting is its own risk
Long, unbroken sitting is linked with poorer health even in people who exercise. Desk workers, drivers, gamers and anyone who spends an evening at a poker table or in front of a slot machine can sit for hours without noticing. Simple fixes help: stand up and move for a few minutes every half hour to an hour, take calls on your feet and walk between rooms or venues instead of riding. Our guide to online poker ergonomics covers long screen sessions in detail.
Fitting it into real life
- Split it up. Three brisk 10-minute walks count the same as one 30-minute walk.
- Walk the trip. Holidays can be very active: visitors to the Las Vegas Strip often walk many kilometres a day between resorts. Good shoes and water make that a benefit rather than a blister.
- Use bodyweight. Squats, push-ups against a wall, stair climbs and carrying shopping all count as muscle strengthening.
- Start low, go slow. If you are new to exercise, build up over weeks.
If you have a heart condition, chest pain on exertion, are pregnant or have another health condition, check with a doctor about what level of activity suits you.
Based on guidance from: World Health Organization, CDC, NHS.
