Risks of Physical Inactivity

Whilst we all need time to rest and relax in our daily lives, it is important we maintain a healthy balance to ensure we are not leading a sedentary lifestyle.

A sedentary lifestyle means little engaging with movement or physical activity, so someone who spends a large proportion of their time sitting or lying down.

This leads us prone to weak muscles, poor bone density, as well as putting us at increased risk of getting ill from many diseases such as heart disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, stroke and obesity.

Avoiding a sedentary lifestyle can be simply avoided by making a few changes to build more movement into each day.

For example, this could be:

• Walking up stairs instead of using an escalator or lift.
• Standing up every hour and doing some stretching when sitting for long periods of time.
• Opting to walk or take the bus instead of the car for short journeys.
• Going for a short walk with a friend to catch-up instead of sitting down to talk.
• Switching off the tv and trying out a new exercise class or evening activity.
• Parking your car further away from your location so you can enjoy a short walk to reach your destination.