Stand Up for Your Health: Beat Aging with Simple Moves Every 7 Minutes

As we age, our bodies become more susceptible to injuries and illness. But there’s a straightforward anti-aging activity that takes only seconds to do and can help minimize the damage that time does to your muscles and organs – standing up.

Studies have shown that our modern sedentary lifestyles, where we spend the majority of our time sitting, can contribute to health problems as we grow older. To combat this process, researchers at the University of Lisbon in Portugal are recommending getting up from your chair or sofa and moving around approximately nine times an hour. In other words, stand up once every seven or eight minutes.

How Brief Movement Breaks Can Improve Physical Function

Researcher Luís B. Sardinha explains, “As a general finding, older adults should make nine interruptions for every hour spent in sedentary behavior. In fact, just the act of standing up can be a path to achieving improved physical function in older ages.”

In their study, the Portuguese researchers measured the movements of more than 215 people aged 65 to 94 over four days. They then assessed their muscle strength, flexibility, aerobic endurance, and agility.

“Still, our data revealed that only one-fifth of the participants were meeting the recommendation of 30 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity,” says Sardinha.

Taking Breaks from Sitting Boosts Strength and Endurance

The researchers discovered that participants in the study who took frequent breaks from sitting had significantly better strength and endurance than people who rarely moved from their seats.

They concluded that taking around 80 sitting breaks during the day, or about nine per hour, could help mitigate some of the adverse effects of aging and sitting.

Other Benefits of Breaking up Sitting Time

Aside from improved muscle strength and endurance, breaking up sitting time can also provide other health benefits. For example:

1. Reduced risk of chronic diseases: A study by the American Diabetes Association found that regularly breaking up prolonged sedentary time could help reduce glucose and insulin levels, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.
2. Improved mental health: A survey conducted by Deakin University, Australia, found that standing up and moving throughout the day can help reduce stress, lower the risk of depression, and improve mood.
3. Better posture: Sitting for prolonged periods can lead to poor posture and a weakened core. By standing up and moving regularly, you can help improve your posture and maintain a stronger core.
4. Increased calorie burn: Standing and moving around, even for just a minute or two, can help burn more calories than sitting. While it may not seem like much, all those extra calories burned throughout the day can add up.
5. Enhanced productivity: Regular movement breaks can help boost your productivity during the workday. Standing up and moving around for a few moments can help refresh your mind, allowing you to refocus on tasks more effectively.

Simple Ways to Stand up and Move Throughout the Day

Here are several easy ways to incorporate standing and movement breaks into your day:

• Set a reminder: Use a timer or an app on your phone to remind you to stand up and move every hour.
• Walk and talk: When making phone calls, pace around your office or home while on the call.
• Drink water: Sipping water throughout the day will not only help keep you hydrated, but it will also prompt you to get up more frequently for bathroom breaks.
• Take the stairs: Whenever possible, opt for the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Utilize a standing desk: Consider investing in a standing desk, which allows you to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
• Stretch: Use your standing breaks as an opportunity to do some light stretching, improving flexibility and helping to prevent injury.

In conclusion, don’t let aging and the effects of sitting keep you down. Get up every seven or eight minutes, move around, and shrug off the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Incorporate standing and movement breaks into your day to reap the many benefits for your physical and mental health.