Effects of Physical Inactivity on Health

Many people spend most of their day doing sedentary activities, whether at work, watching TV or at the computer.

An increasing lack of time, health awareness as well as opportunities for movement at work, lead to an underload of the musculature. Experts then speak of a lack of exercise. A lack of exercise exists when the frequency and intensity of physical activity do not meet the recommendation of at least 150 minutes of exercise or 75 minutes of sport per week. Symptoms of a lack of exercise include postural weaknesses and faulty posture due to weak back or foot muscles. In addition, there is overweight.

Overweight is the result of a calorie surplus, which means that the body uses less energy than it receives. Overweight can be roughly assessed with the BMI, the body mass index. This looks at the ratio of body weight and height, in conjunction with age and gender, and provides an approximate measure. Stress can also be a cause of obesity. The consequences of obesity can be devastating. One of the typical consequences is diseases of the cardiovascular system, which can be expressed, for example, by high blood pressure or circulatory disorders. In addition, there is an increased likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes, which is caused by permanently high blood sugar levels. Other risks of obesity include sleep disorders, organ diseases, muscle wasting and hormone disorders. Even the risk of arthrosis and cancer increases. Only a healthier diet and more exercise, as well as contemplation, can combat obesity. The basis for this is mental balance and the will to change.

To achieve the required level of recommended exercise, different types of physical activity can be pursued. To avoid physical inactivity, it is important to integrate sufficient physical activity into everyday life. This does not necessarily mean going to the gym every day. Rather, it is about consciously moving and sufficiently stressing the body. This can mean taking the stairs more often instead of the lift, taking breaks for exercise during work or exercising regularly. To be able to take action, exercise is divided into different types. If you try to integrate each of these areas into your daily exercise rations, you will be able to fully promote your physical health. Here you can find out how to integrate more exercise into your everyday life. 

• Speed training strengthens muscles, joints and ligaments and increases the ability to react, which reduces the risk of injury.
• Endurance training, on the other hand, increases fat burning, strengthens the immune system, improves blood count and reduces the risk of heart attack.
• Strength training is important for good posture. It also strengthens the joints and reduces the risk of osteoporosis, or bone loss. Strengthening the muscles in the neck and back can also help prevent headaches.

• Flexibility training supports stamina and gait stability. In addition, the interaction of tendons, muscles and ligaments is improved, which reduces the risk of injury in everyday life and in sports.
• Coordination training is the ideal complement to the types of training already mentioned, as it improves mobility and movement sequences in general. The body moves more economically and uses less strength. In addition, there is a potential improvement in cognitive abilities.

The topic of exercise is a multifaceted one and does not only serve physical health. Physical activity releases happiness hormones that not only increase the desire to exercise, but also generally lift the mood. Regular exercise can also prevent anxiety, stress and mental lows, even depressive moods, and increases motivation and creativity. Improved physical and mental health in turn has a preventive effect against illness. A healthy psyche can counteract poor circulation, physical pain, palpitations or a disturbed metabolism.

In order to cover all areas, it is advisable to try out new types of sport, ideally to include a balanced amount of cardio and strength training variations in the weekly exercise plan. For example, workouts and walks can be combined, strengthening the body, clearing the mind and getting some fresh air. Yoga can also be helpful, as the term yoga covers a wide range of physical and mental exercises that can be used to cover all the types of exercise already mentioned.

Setting up an exercise plan may seem daunting at first, as it could seem like exercise becomes just another task on our to-do list, yet it brings structure and deliberate creative breaks that ultimately increase our productivity. In addition, it is possible to independently determine how rigorously the training sessions are timed, and thanks to digital training programmes such as Teamfit, sport can finally be performed in a time- and location-flexible manner. It is also important to eat a balanced diet and get enough sleep. Because both also have a great influence on health and can help to avoid lack of exercise and the associated health problems. Sleep reminders or sleep schedules, more commonly known as “sleep reminders”, can help here. Blue light filters that allow you to fall asleep more quickly despite using electronic devices at late hours can also help. You can probably find these in the display settings of your smartphone or PC.

In conclusion, regular exercise should be an indispensable part of our daily lives. A lack of exercise brings with it a multitude of health risks and has a negative effect on the body and psyche in many ways. Exercise helps us to bring structure to our routines, to keep motivation levels high and to go about our daily lives healthy and invigorated.