Too busy and tired from work and no time to exercise? 7 medical tips to develop exercise habits
According to statistics from the World Health Organization, “physical inactivity” has become the fourth largest risk factor for mortality worldwide, and is related to approximately 6% of mortality rates every year. A survey by the Sports Administration of the Ministry of Education showed that the main reason why Taiwanese people don’t exercise is “too tired from work,” followed by “too lazy to exercise” and “because they don’t have time at work.” How to establish a correct understanding of exercise and maintain long-term exercise habits is undoubtedly a severe test for the general public.
What are the benefits of exercise to the body? Medical Exposure: It can bring at least “four major positive effects”
Dr. Chen Caifan, a physician at Lian On Clinic, said that a large amount of medical literature has proven the benefits of regular exercise. In particular, studies generally believe that exercise can bring the following positive effects to physical health:
Reduce the occurrence of diseases: Regular exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction and stroke, as well as diabetes; it can also reduce the incidence of gastrointestinal-related cancers and female breast cancer, and reduce the incidence of arthritis, hip fractures and falls in the elderly. Probability. In addition, regular exercise can also prevent depression and dementia.
Improve disease symptoms: Exercise can relieve the pain and stiffness of arthritis, control the frequency and severity of asthma attacks, and reduce mortality from breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. Patients with diabetes or heart disease can control blood sugar, weight and heart function through exercise, and reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Exercise can also improve symptoms in people with depression and anxiety.
Improve positive emotions: The hormones in the brain stimulated by exercise make people have more positive feelings, making individuals feel more relaxed, reducing anxiety, and even deepening self-confidence and self-esteem. Exercise also helps the brain’s cognitive abilities, improves concentration and creative thinking.
Strengthen body functions: Regular exercise helps strengthen the body’s muscle strength and physical fitness, and optimizes the function of the cardiovascular circulatory system and lungs, giving people more energy to face various complex daily tasks. There are countless benefits to getting outdoors and experiencing social fun through exercise.
As for the exercise recommendations given by the WHO to adults, it is to “engage in moderate physical activity for more than 150 minutes per week”, where “moderate physical activity” refers to feeling slightly tired, breathing and heartbeat after continuous exercise for more than 10 minutes. It is faster than usual and may cause a slight sweating, such as walking, jogging, mountain climbing, continuous swimming, going up and down stairs, aerobic dancing, riding a bicycle, skipping rope, walking in water, etc.
Further reading: Does exercise heal the brain? “Active” aerobic exercise improves brain cognitive function! Study: Linked to dopamine release
What should office workers do if they don’t have time to exercise? 7 tips to develop regular exercise habits
For modern people who are busy with work, how to develop a regular exercise habit? Dr. Chen Caifan suggested that according to medical research, the following 7 practices have certain effects on developing exercise habits:
Establish a practical plan. When the arranged exercise plan is more feasible, not only the chance of successful action increases significantly, but also in the process from planning to actual implementation, you can feel the control and freedom in arranging your life, and get rid of difficulties and repeated failures. negative vicious cycle.
Arrange your time flexibly. If you are unable to exercise continuously for one to two hours due to physical endurance or your daily schedule is blocked, you can instead complete the 150 minutes of exercise per week through 30 minutes of exercise per day, or split it into two 15-minute exercises per day. Minute exercise is also possible.
High field accessibility. If going to a specific sports venue will hinder your mobility, you may want to arrange the exercise at home or improve the accessibility of the exercise location.
Quantify sports goals. Use various sports data software or social platforms to record the distance, speed, times, weight and other information of each exercise. By recording and reviewing, you can give yourself direct and positive feedback, and you can also gain motivation from it.
Take care of your own feelings. Get rid of past stereotypes about exercise and try to ask your true thoughts, such as “Do I like outdoor or indoor activities?”, “Do I enjoy group or individual sports?” and other questions to confirm the actions that suit you at this time. Willingness and direction.
Seek social support. Before actually taking action on exercise training, fear is often easily over-amplified due to the unknown. If you can get support from family, friends, or professionals at this time, it will be more helpful to stay focused and enthusiastic while sharing your goals and achievements.
Establish intrinsic motivation. When you have your own intrinsic motivation, it will be more helpful to maintain your exercise habits than obvious external motivations, such as weight loss, body posture changes, or recognition from others. For example, you want to live with your beloved family for a long time, or you want to achieve your dreams through a healthy body. In general, the idea of regular exercise can be transformed from the perspective of “I must” to “I will.”
Dr. Chen Caifan said that a regular exercise life can not only reduce the risk of disease and discomfort, but also cultivate self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment, allowing individuals to grow to a certain extent, both physically and mentally. However, people should always pay attention to their physical condition when exercising or follow the coach’s instructions to avoid serious sports injuries caused by overtraining.
