Being physically active has many benefits. Regular exercise:
- helps maintain a healthy weight
- reduces the risk of serious health issues like type 2 diabetes heart disease and stroke
- is great for your immune system
- gives you more energy during the day and helps you sleep better at night
- releases serotonin and endorphins chemicals in your brain that are great for your mood
- can help ease tightness in your shoulders and neck that often come with stress and anxiety
- gives you a sense of achievement and can add structure or routine to your day. [1]
How much exercise do I need?
Adults should aim to do:
- at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes (1¼ hours) of vigorous exercise per week
- muscle strengthening activities on two or more days per week. [2]
Moderate-intensity exercise is equivalent to a brisk walk.
Vigorous exercise is equivalent to a run or fast bike ride.
How do I do that?
Start small: If you’re new to exercise try 10 minutes of walking or yoga a day then gradually build up. You can also break up longer workouts into shorter 10-minute sessions. You’ll still get the same health benefits.
Take the stairs: Stair climbing is an extremely time-efficient way to maintain fitness and as little as three 20-second fast stair climbs a day can improve fitness in just six weeks.
Maintain strength: Home-based strength exercises that use your own body weight such as push ups sit ups and planks are as important for health as aerobic exercise. Try doing 2-4 sets of 8-15 reps of each exercise. Rest for 2-3 minutes in between each set.
Reps (or repetitions) refer to the number of times you complete a specific exercise.
Sets refer to how many times you will complete those reps during your workout.
Dance the blues away: Dancing is a great way to protect heart health and maintain fitness. It also releases endorphins to help you feel better. [3]
Take your workout online: Checkout the other Healthy at Home physical activity resources for videos and information to keep you physically active.
Get outdoors: Walking cycling and running can be altered to suit your pace and fitness levels and can be enjoyed on your own or with a friend or family member.
References
[1] Better Health Channel. (2019) Physical activity – it’s important (accessed on 7 May 2020)
[2] Department of Health. (2019) Australia’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines and the Australian 24-hour movement guidelines (accessed on 7 May 2020)
[3] Stamatakis E Murray A Bull F Edwards K. (2020) How to stay fit and active at home during the coronavirus self-isolation (accessed on 7 May 2020)