Physical Activity

Everyone should aim to be active daily.

As a goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. This can be split throughout the day, for example: do 3 lots of 10 minute exercises or activities.

The importance of activity and exercise

Moderate physical activities, such as walking, cycling and gardening, are good for you and will get you moving. These activities may get you warmer, make you breathe harder and raise your heart rate. You may already be someone who enjoys vigorous exercise such as running and sports, but even those who don’t participate in these can increase their daily activity levels through small changes. For example, park the car further away to where you are going, use the stairs instead of a lift or escalator or walk to your local shops instead of using the car. If the weather is bad or you cannot exercise outdoors then exercise can be done indoors such as climbing stairs, using an exercise bike or exercising limbs whilst listening to music/watching tv.

Building activity into your day keeps your heart healthy, reduces your risk of serious illness, maintains healthy weight, and strengthens muscles and bones. It is also a great way of reducing your stress levels and lifting your mood.

It is important to minimise sedentary behaviour – reduce your time sitting watching TV, using the computer or playing video games, and if you have a desk-job take regular breaks at work to move around.