Stay Moving … Stay Alive
You’ve probably heard that it’s important to stay physically active. From heart disease to type-two diabetes to depression: the protective impact of exercise is well researched.
What you might not know much about is the impact of exercise on resistance to infection and in particular, COVID-19.
A recent study, reported in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, brings this issue into sharp relief.
In the study, over 48,000 adult patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis were identified and their patterns of physical activity investigated.
Categorising the patients as consistently inactive =0–10 min/week, some activity =11–149 min/week and consistently meeting guidelines =150+ min/week the study then compared these groups to the risk of hospitalisation, ICU admission and death after COVID-19 diagnosis.
The results were significant …
Patients with COVID-19 who were consistently inactive had a greater risk of hospitalisation, admission to the ICU and death due to COVID-19 than patients who were consistently meeting physical activity guidelines.
The takeaway message is clear – find at least two and a half hours a week to do some physical activity: the sort that gets you a bit sweaty and breathless.
Just 30 minutes a day in a five-day working week might just keep you alive!
If you’d like to know more about how we use the mind, body and balance as key elements in our 1:1 and team-based coaching, get in touch.
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