Article

Physical Activity and Its Benefits
Physical Activity and Its Benefits

Stop sitting so much! And while you do, think about the following: In general, most of our biological characteristics can be explained by adaptations of the human body to the features of our external and internal environments.[1] And humans spent 99.99% of their history in nature.[2] Hunting, scavenging, escaping from predators, or building shelters.[3] Therefore different kinds of physical activity (PA) played a huge role in our survival. And what do we do now? We sit.[4]

This very mismatch between our ancient physiology and our modern lifestyle underlies many so-called diseases of civilization. A change in our lifestyle might be an effective strategy to reduce certain health risks.[3] And the one characteristic we can certainly adjust, as it was required to survive and live, is regular physical activity[3], which can be expressed in many ways.

One single bout of PA:
  • Reduces feelings of anxiety,
  • decreases blood pressure,
  • improves sleep (more important for your health, than you probably think it is),
  • enhances insulin sensitivity (which is a good thing).[5]

Regular PA:
  • Improves the ability to supply oxygen to the muscles (Cardiorespiratory fitness), increases and maintains muscular strength and has a cardioprotective effect.[5]
  • Lowers the risk for adverse health outcomes, including hypertension, several types of cancer, depression, dementia, cardiovascular mortality, and many more.[5]
  • Enhances our immune defense activity and metabolic health and therefore improves our immune system.[6]
  • Allows the body to accommodate and adjust to physiological needs through profound changes in the endocrine system (our hormone system).[7]
  • Improves brain function and prevents cognitive decline across the lifespan8 and is associated with better mental and emotional health.[9]
  • Improves cellular adaptations and gross physiologic changes that enhance your overall physiological performance.[10]

So, what should I do?
  • Stop sitting so much. Try to refrain from sitting as much as possible. If you must sit, break up the periods of prolonged sitting and go for a brief walk, get some coffee or do some stretches.
  • Do more. For adults, the WHO guidelines recommend a combination of aerobic PA (e.g., running, riding a bike, or brisk walking for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity), combined with muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on ≥2 days/week.[11]
  • No really, do more. PA is dose dependent, so the effects of PA change as the dose of PA changes.[12] Further increases of PA might yield even more health benefits for you.[5]
  • Exercise snacks add up.  Even very short duration PA (i.e., 1-2 minutes) yields potential benefits, especially if accumulated.[5] The total duration of PA is what provides the health benefits.[4] So try to move as much as possible even if it is just for a brief moment. Repeat that over and over again and reap the benefits. It's not all or nothing, it’s whatever is possible. 


Authors: Joshua Thaller & Devin Bayer (OAC)

Literature
  1. Rühli, F., van Schaik, K., & Henneberg, M. (2016). Evolutionary Medicine: The Ongoing Evolution of Human Physiology and Metabolism. Physiology (Bethesda, Md.), 31(6), 392–397. https://doi.org/10.1152/physiol.00013.2016
  2. Kotera, Y., Richardson, M., & Sheffield, D. (2020). Effects of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) and nature therapy on mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of mental health and addiction, 1-25.
  3. Carrera-Bastos, Pedro, Maelan Fontes-Villalba, James H O'Keefe, Staffan Lindeberg,
     and Loren Cordain. “The Western Diet and Lifestyle and Diseases of Civilization.”
     Research Reports in Clinical Cardiology, 2011, 15. https://doi.org/10.2147/rrcc.s16919.
  4.  Schock, S., & Hakim, A. (2023). The Physiological and Molecular Links Between Physical Activity and Brain Health: A Review. Neuroscience insights, 18, 26331055231191523. https://doi.org/10.1177/26331055231191523
  5. Franklin, B. A., Eijsvogels, T. M. H., Pandey, A., Quindry, J., & Toth, P. P. (2022). Physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiovascular health: A clinical practice statement of the ASPC Part I: Bioenergetics, contemporary physical activity recommendations, benefits, risks, extreme exercise regimens, potential maladaptations. American journal of preventive cardiology, 12, 100424. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajpc.2022.100424
  6. Nieman, D. C., & Wentz, L. M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body's defense system. Journal of sport and health science, 8(3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009
  7. Hackney, A. C., & Lane, A. R. (2015). Exercise and the Regulation of Endocrine Hormones. Progress in molecular biology and translational science, 135, 293–311. https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pmbts.2015.07.001
  8. Baek S. S. (2016). Role of exercise on the brain. Journal of exercise rehabilitation, 12(5), 380–385. https://doi.org/10.12965/jer.1632808.404
  9. Sousa-Sá, E., Cook, C., Burley, J., & Santos, R. (2023). Editorial: Movement behaviors (sleep, sedentary behavior and physical activity) and physical and mental/cognitive health. Frontiers in psychiatry, 14, 1252986. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1252986 
  10. McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V. L. (2010). Exercise physiology: nutrition, energy, and human performance. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  11. World Health Organization. Guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Geneva; 2020 25 November 2020. Report No.: ISBN: 9789240015128
  12. Posadzki, P., Pieper, D., Bajpai, R., Makaruk, H., Könsgen, N., Neuhaus, A. L., & Semwal, M. (2020). Exercise/physical activity and health outcomes: an overview of Cochrane systematic reviews. BMC public health, 20(1), 1724. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09855-3