Everyone is aware of the importance of exercise, but most people do not know how much is considered to be the right amount. The NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week or 30 minutes each day, but this is something that not many people achieve which could have implications.
Benefits
30 minutes of exercise a day could bring a number of benefits to your life as well as protect you from certain health risks. Those that exercise on a regular basis can improve their physical fitness, have more energy, improve their appearance and boost their mental health amongst many other benefits.
Dangers of Not Getting Enough
It is also essential that you know the dangers of not getting enough exercise, though, which should encourage you to start exercising regularly. Those that exercise the recommended amount have a much lower risk of developing many serious and long-term conditions, such as:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Some cancers
- Stroke
- Arthritis
- Dementia
- Early death
Exercising Safely
It is clear that getting the recommended amount of exercise is not only beneficial but important and can improve your life in several ways. However it’s also a fact that injuries are common when exercising so you need to know what the risks are and how you can exercise safely, especially if you are exercising at home or out running/walking/cycling.
Common Injuries
A study from BUPA found that around 7.2 million people injured themselves while exercising during the lockdown period in 2020. Those that took online classes, PT sessions, weight lifting and using home gym equipment reported the most injuries with 36% reporting pulled muscles followed by knee injuries (31%), back injuries (26%) and ankle injuries (26%). Accidents can be avoided in these situations with stretching and warming up/cooling down and gradually building up your strength as opposed to trying to do too much. Many of these respondents did not seek medical treatment which is worrying and perhaps due to concerns over medical negligence due to the pandemic.
Running/Walking/Cycling
Activities like running, walking and cycling can be excellent forms of cardiovascular exercise and improve both mental and physical health. In addition to typical injuries as listed above, there are more hazards with these forms of exercises mainly in the form of slips, trips, falls and traffic accidents. Watching where you are going, wearing high-vis clothing and taking care around the roads is key.
Exercising 30 minutes a day can improve your life in many different ways, as long as you are careful when exercising to avoid injury.
