Sometimes exercise is automatically considered heavyweights in the gym; this or sprinting for 2 miles. What you may be happy to know is all kinds of exercise are great for you. This includes light exercise.
Exercising provides great benefits to the body. Regular exercise can help:
- Improve brain health
- Manage weight
- Lower risk of disease
- Strengthen muscle and bones
- Boost energy levels
And so much more. This sounds great, right? Well, sometimes it can be difficult to find the right kind of exercise for the right kind of person.
Anxiety about a gym, injury limitations, age limitations, and many other factors can play in contributing to the type of exercise that can be done.
Do not be discouraged! Light exercise can be efficient in many areas as well.
What is light exercise?
Light exercise is when you have a maximum heart rate of 55-64%. Moderate exercise is when the maximum heart rate ranges from 65-74%. Vigorous exercise is when the maximum heart rate ranges from 75-90%
So just like it sounds, light or moderate exercise does not require large amounts of energy. You will not have to worry about overworking your body.
Light exercise provides a calm introduction to some exercises that can help increase your health.
Examples of light exercise include:
- Walking
- Doing routine household chores
- Fishing
- Cycling
What is moderate exercise?
As stated before, the range of heart rate with moderate exercise is 65-74%. Moderate exercise requires a tad bit more energy than light exercise.
You may work up a bit of a sweat in these cases. Some examples of moderate exercise include:
- Walking at a fast pace
- Water aerobics
- Tennis
- Dancing
- Hiking
Debunking the myth that light/moderate exercise isn’t effective
All kinds of exercise are good for the body. Those that remain active in some capacity have a lower risk of developing heart diseases.
There is no need to worry about duration as well. A simple 20-30 minute workout each day will help to lead you on a path of better health.
Medical News Today wrote about a study that tracked the link between light activity and health. 851 men and women were chosen.
An actigraph was used and was able to track the data on death. A follow-up of around 14.2 occurred which gave some information on the effectiveness of light exercise. The results were that “79 of the participants died — 24 from cardiovascular disease, 27 from cancer, and 28 from “other causes.””
From there the deaths of the participants were analyzed. The results from this were that those who participated in the light exercise had a 24% reduction in risk of death and an 11% reduction of death “…from all causes.”
Simply exercising for about 10 minutes each ranging from moderate to vigorous linked to a “38 percent reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, while 30 minutes per day was linked to a 77 percent reduction.”
These kinds of numbers are very telling. Heart health is extremely important and can at times be overlooked. The heart is what helps to transport nutrients throughout the body. It also helps supply oxygen and eliminate toxins.
Let’s make some lifestyle changes
Making some slight changes to your schedule can help set you apart. Protecting you from diseases as well as improving your overall mood, eventually, you will see you can’t get enough!
So instead of just laying on the couch and watching TV, watch TV while doing some light exercise like walking on a treadmill in front of the screen. Maybe you could clean up some rooms around you while listening as well.
Instead of cooping yourself up in a house, go outside and walk on a local trail! Pick your routes and consider going up and down some hills.
Put on some music and dance around the room! No one has to watch. Dancing is a fantastic form of exercise, it works out a bunch of different areas like:
- Heart
- Lungs
- Muscles
- Balance
Go inside the grocery store instead of using curbside. Even walking around the store and grocery shopping is a form of light exercise. It’ll give you an opportunity to get out in the fresh air and you will feel much more accomplished.
Getting enough sleep will also help you to have the energy to exercise the next day. Consider a supplement like Relaxium Sleep to aid you in this! This supplement was designed to help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling more refreshed and alert.
Need some help with motivation?
Truly we understand it can be difficult to actually get yourself out there and be active. Judgment and self-doubt can come into play which can make things harder. Here are some tips:
- You are doing it for YOU: Your health matters most. Judgment means nothing because no one else feels what you do. If you are starting to feel pain and require some light exercise, you are choosing yourself. That is what matters the most in these instances.
- Write it down: writing down tasks can help to feel much more productive. That feeling of checking things off of your list is so satisfying.
- Do it with someone you enjoy being around: If you can find someone who is willing to be more active with you, it will prove to be much more fun. Not only can you both encourage each other, but you may not feel as lonely. By no means must you always have someone around but sometimes it can be helpful.
- Make the activity fun: Working out shouldn’t be something you dread. Pick an activity you genuinely enjoy doing. If you hate being inside a gym, don’t get a membership simply because it is a norm in society! There are other places where you can get your energy out.
- Reward yourself: This is something you should get into the habit of doing. When you have accomplished something, congratulate yourself! Again, you are helping yourself, not everyone has the motivation to do so. Be proud of yourself and do something you enjoy after some exercise.
Start your health journey today
One step at a time is the best way of thinking. Ease yourself in these workouts if they can be difficult to accomplish. Making this decision will truly provide you with benefits to combat the struggles of life. We wish you the best of luck. Check out our website for more products that can aid you in this journey.
To restful and healthy days ahead.
The Relaxium Team
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320760#Study-used-accelerometer-data