What’s at Stake?

To many of us live sedentary lives. We spend most of our waking hours at work sitting behind a desk, behind the wheel, or behind a counter. Then we plop down on the couch and relax in front of the TV when we get home. Even those of us who have more active jobs likely don’t get enough exercise. A lack of physical activity is hazardous to your overall health and wellness.

Workers who are depressed often feel tired, unmotivated and have difficulty concentrating.  Depression can cause problems with decision-making abilities and an increase in errors and accidents.  Workers with depression also miss work more often and experience a higher level of presenteeism, where a worker is present at work but less focused and productive than workers without depression.

Due to the stigma of mental illness, many people find it hard to talk about their depression and seek help for it. Getting help is important, because if left untreated, depression can lead to job loss, damaged relationships, substance abuse and suicide.

How to Protect Yourself

Too little activity has been shown to increase the likelihood of:

• Cancer
• Heart attack and heart disease
• Stroke
• Diabetes and obesity

Without enough exercise you lose muscle mass, strength and flexibility, and bone loss progresses faster in people who aren’t active. These factors can lead to falls, broken bones and mobility issues.

Lack of regular exercise has also been linked to an increased risk of dementia, mood swings and depression.

Lastly, a sedentary existence can leave you with a weakened immune system and make you more susceptible to illnesses such as colds and the flu.

How to Protect Yourself

Get Moving!

• Research consistently shows that engaging in three days of physical activity per week, totaling 150 minutes or 50 minutes per session, produces health benefits.
• Brisk walking, running, bicycling, jumping rope, and swimming are all great examples of cardio exercises.
• Start with light or moderate aerobic exercise, for short periods of time (10 to 15 minutes) with sessions spread throughout the week to reduce your risk of injury and fatigue. Gradually build up to 50-minute sessions as your level of fitness improves.

Pump it up!

• Strength training, including lifting weights or resistance training, improves bone density and helps slow bone loss as you age.
• Weight training strengthens connective tissue, muscles and tendons. This decreases your risk of falls, sprains and strains.
• Strength training also helps prevent loss of muscle mass.
• Remember to start slowly to reduce the risk of injury and give your muscles time to rest and recover. Wait at least 48 hours before you train the same muscle group again.

Talk to your doctor before beginning a workout routine to make sure you are healthy enough for physical activity.

Talk to your doctor before beginning a workout routine to make sure you are healthy enough forphysical activity.  Talk to your doctor before beginning a workout routine to make sure you are healthy enough forphysical activity.  

Final Word

If you aren’t already, start incorporating health and wellness activities into your daily routine.Regular exercise can help you live a longer, happier and healthier life.