Why You Should Get Off the Couch This Winter
By Brandi Goodman
Lots of people spend their winter on the couch. Exercise becomes uncommon. Binge-watching becomes the norm. More and more individuals let this sedentary lifestyle become habit in the months after as well. You need to get off the couch this winter and make time for physical activity if you hope to maintain your well-being.
Sitting Puts You at Risk for Disease
Certain diseases can occur more easily if you never take time to exercise. Being inactive and sitting all the time can put you at risk for diseases such as type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and stroke. You need to make sure you're moving this winter so you don't put yourself in harm's way.
It Can Cause Weight Gain
Gaining significant weight is usually not good for anyone. A few pounds isn't too serious, but if you're sitting for hours per day and eating unhealthy on top of that, chances are you'll gain for more than just a couple pounds. You should be getting exercise this winter, when eating habits tend to worsen, to be sure you're keeping your weight relatively the same at the very least. If you're already overweight, then finding ways to reduce your body mass index is important for overall well-being.
It Can Deepen Your Depression
If you're depressed, or at least suffering symptoms of SAD -- seasonal affective disorder is common in winter -- you need to be exercising, getting outside, and finding things to occupy your time. Spending hours or even days doing nothing but watching mindless television can deepen your depression. It often leads to weight gain, self-loathing, and loneliness.
What's the Movement Recommendation?
Experts recommend that you get in at least 10,000 steps per day. You should be spending at least 30 minutes per day exercising, five days per week. This equates to 150 minutes each and every week that you should be achieving. You can break that total into smaller amounts if needed, but you at least need to be doing some movement to help yourself come close to this goal.
The winter time may seem like the ideal stretch for sitting and relaxing. Though it's fine to take a break now and then -- and is in fact encouraged -- it isn't OK to spend hours sitting on the couch at once. You need to get up and move if you hope to maintain your health -- both physical and mental.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Eastvale, Calif.