The past several years has affected us beyond measure. When something unthinkable happens, like a global pandemic, it creates change.
Not only did our work habits change but so did our daily habits. According to new research, COVID-19 has been linked to a decrease in physical activity for people around the globe.
In this article, we will share the research and ideas to help out those who are ready to take back their lives and bodies.
A decrease in physical activity.
It’s easy to numb out and turn on your TV after a hard day. After a couple of hard years, it’s no wonder that people are struggling to get back to physical movement after COVID.
Using fitness tracker data, a group of researchers with the University of California San Francisco observed a 5.5% decrease in mean daily steps (approximately 287 fewer steps) for smartphone users in the first ten days after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global pandemic on March 11. After the first 30 days, that average daily step count plummeted by 27.3%, or 1,432 steps.
It’s important to note that the results varied by country, due to the severity of policies, community response and the virus’s effects. For example, individuals in Italy averaged nearly a 48.7% reduction in steps, but those in Sweden only had a 6.9% reduction.
What a decrease in physical activity is doing.
It’s easy to start a bad habit and it can be harder to break it. Take physical activity for example. How hard is it to peel yourself out of your house, into your car and into the doors of your local gym or fitness studio? Sometimes you’re so excited and ready to go and sometimes it can be the hardest thing you need to convince yourself to do.
When we get into the habit of not being physical, our bodies get used to being slower moving. The body gets used to sitting and lounging and not working its muscles in all the healthy ways it should. So, when we decide that it’s time to motivate ourselves to get back to physical activity, it can be a challenge to start the good habit again.
A lack of physical activity has consequences in our bodies like many individuals’ ability to fight off infections from COVID-19 and other illnesses.
The proven benefits from staying in good physical health then support every other area of your life. A better mental state, a better spiritual state, a better overall relationship with the life that you are living.
How physical activity can help.
If you have a chronic condition like heart disease, diabetes, obesity or hypertension, you are more at risk for sickness. With all of these conditions, moderate physical activity has been shown to boost immunological defense mechanisms.
Physical activity not only will boost your state of happiness, it can also help you fight off disease and allow you to stay mobile for longer.
How to get back on track.
If you’re ready to get back on track, to eat healthier and kick-start your physical activity again, we have your answer. Firstly, start walking! Walking is such an incredible way to get your body moving again. Strive for 10,000 steps a day but be proud of yourself for a walk around your neighbourhood.
Next, stretch. Stretching your body helps improve flexibility and the range of motion of your joints. It will also improve your performance in physical activity!
Finally, move your body in a way that feels good. Whether it’s yoga, swimming, going to the gym and lifting weights, running or something completely different. It’s up to you to find something that you enjoy doing, which will make it easier to peel yourself up off the couch when you don’t want to.
If you’re a business owner, one way to help employees get back on track is making employee wellness programs available. If you want to learn more about how you can add this to your benefits package, reach out to Navy & Sage today. We can discuss the different programs available and why it could be the gamechanger for the office that you’re after.
