In a study by Diarmuid Coughlan, PhD, Newcastle University, being physically active throughout life reduces healthcare costs throughout adulthood. Those Americans who maintained or increased their physical activity from their preteen years into their adult years experienced lower average annual healthcare costs than those who were consistently inactive over time by 10-22%. Those who used to be active when younger, but became inactive later in life, did not show any benefit from their earlier active lifestyles in reducing healthcare costs. Other studies have shown that middle-aged women who were active throughout their entire lives resulted in 40% reduction in healthcare costs.
We are sure you have heard us say this before, “Sitting is the new smoking.” If you find that you are sitting for most of the day, you may be contributing to increased healthcare costs later in life. As we wrote this article, we saw a Caring Medical patient’s husband powerwalking around our parking lot/office park monitoring his “steps.” Staying active does not necessarily mean you have to go to a gym!
5 Tips to Keep You Moving
- Live an active lifestyle. We love that SW FL allows for an active lifestyle 365 days per year! Walk your dog. Climb stairs. Play catch with the grandkids or neighbors’ kids. Ride a bike to the local coffee shop. Take a walk on the beach. Catch a sunrise or sunset.
- Do household chores: Do your own yard work. Plant a vegetable garden. Vacuum or mop your floors. Fold laundry standing up. Wash windows. Make yard art (see our previous articles!)
- Try a new sport or activity. Pickleball is available everywhere you look. Swim in your pool – don’t just look at it – or power walk and exercise in the pool. Join the bike club – Fort Myers and Sanibel have wonderful clubs! This is a great way to make new friends too.
- Cook meals at home. This may not seem like “exercise,” but cooking keeps you moving and is a great way to stay active. Cooking not only helps you eat healthier but improves your strength and stamina.
- Stand up. Most of the team at Caring Medical uses sit-stand desks. You can easily adjust a table/desk to become sit-stand using an Ergotron or Varidesk workstation. If you do not want to invest in this type of set up, a couple of reams of printer paper will elevate your computer monitor to standing height! If you find yourself sitting a lot, set a timer for every hour to remind you to stand up and walk around.
We are all in charge of our own health. We control our activities. Take charge and make a concerted effort to keep your body moving. Be intentional about it. Nobody else will do it for you! We will be looking for you out there!