Physical inactivity has been linked to chronic health problems, mental health issues, and reduced productivity, among other negative impacts.

In Canada, only 16 per cent of adults met recommended targets for physical activity in 2016 and 2017. In the United States, inactivity contributes to one in 10 premature deaths.

Studies have shown that lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic have increased sedentary behaviour, posing an even greater risk to our physical and mental health.

Physical inactivity is often defined as doing less than 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Here are 20 ways inactivity can have a negative impact on your life.

Potential weight gain

Even more so than overeating, lack of exercise and physical inactivity are important factors in the increasing trend of obesity. People who are inactive are at risk of gaining weight, and this weight gain can come with an array of health consequences, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Pent-up stress

The physical benefits of exercise are well known, but exercise also helps reduce stress. Regular exercise has been shown to decrease levels of tension and elevate your mood, especially in terms of producing endorphins. People who are inactive miss out on these mental health benefits.

Risk of developing high blood pressure

People who are less physically active and less fit are at greater risk of developing high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can damage your brain’s blood vessels, causing them to rupture or leak, or cause blood clots to form in the vessels leading to your brain. It is important to do regular activity to help your heart and circulation.

Risk of falls for older adults

Regular physical activity in older adults helps prevent the risk factors of falling. Inactivity causes a decline in muscle strength, balance, and endurance. This increases the risk of falling during day-to-day activities such as getting out of a chair or playing with a grandchild. People of all ages benefit from being active!

Risk of developing type 2 diabetes

Physical inactivity can lead to an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This is because when inactive, muscle cells do not use as much insulin, and the insulin-binding sites on the cells start to disappear. This causes the body to become less responsive to insulin, which can eventually make medical intervention necessary.

Anxiety and depression

There is evidence that physical activity is good for managing mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. However, researchers have not yet figured out whether depression leads to inactivity or inactivity to depression. If you are experiencing any mental health problems, talk to your doctor about the right treatment for you, including ways to incorporate physical activity into your routine.

Risk of developing coronary heart disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when plaque grows on the inside of the coronary arteries, obstructing blood flow to the heart. If allowed to worsen, CAD becomes coronary heart disease (CHD). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronary heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States each year. There are several risk factors that can lead to CHD, including physical inactivity. Even mild to moderate levels of activity can help prevent this condition.

Lack of energy

Physical inactivity increases the risk of chronic fatigue. The more exercise you get, the more likely you are to feel full of energy. Sedentary habits affect the body both physically and mentally, leading to feelings of exhaustion. Being tired all the time can affect many aspects of your life, including productivity at work or school.

Decreased muscle strength

The body uses a lot of energy to maintain the muscles, so if they aren’t needed, the body tries to conserve that energy by breaking them down. A study from the University of Copenhagen showed it takes only two weeks of not using their legs for a young person to lose one-third of their leg muscle strength! Not using your muscles essentially causes the muscle to break down and weaken. Having weaker muscles makes performing everyday tasks at any age more difficult.

Weaker immune system

Extremes in physical activity can negatively impact the immune system. Both people who are inactive and people who are extremely active have a higher risk of infection than people who are just moderately active. If you want to stay healthy and help avoid those yearly colds and flus, it’s a good idea to start incorporating physical activity into your routine—just not too much all at once.

Increased risk of cancer

There are numerous studies that link physical activity with lower risk of cancer. This has been extensively studied with colon cancer, breast cancer, and endometrial cancer. Less extensively, cancers such as liver cancer, bladder cancer, myeloma, and kidney cancer have also been linked to levels of physical activity. While the causal link is not definitive, there is a clear connection between inactivity and greater risk of cancer.

Poorer blood circulation

According to a study from Indiana University, normal blood flow becomes impaired by as much as 50 per cent after just one hour of sitting. Sitting causes blood to pool in the legs, making it harder for the blood to get to the heart. The study also mentions that breaking up your sitting regimen with five-minute walking breaks can help reverse the damage from sitting all day.

Weaker bones

Bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt in order to get rid of old bone cells and replace them with healthy new ones. Physical inactivity causes bones to break down faster than they can be rebuilt, which leads to weaker bones overall. Bones are very responsive to physical activity and respond positively to weight-bearing exercises such as running and jumping. A study done by researchers with the University of British Columbia revealed that this is true even for teens, showing that inactive teens had weaker bones than their physically active peers.

Poor sleep

Sleeping badly can be a direct result of physical inactivity. In a study overseen by ParticipAction, it was reported that children who do not move around enough do not get tired enough. Inactive kids do not experience the necessary fatigue that promotes good sleep. This can result in a vicious cycle: tired children are less likely to do well in other areas (including mental health), which in turn makes them even less likely to be physically active. Regardless of their age, if someone is not sleeping well, it could be due to inactivity.

Poorer memory

Regular exercise can improve memory function in two ways. First, physical activity indirectly boosts memory power because it helps improve mood, stress levels, and sleep quality. Second, exercise directly affects the health of brain cells and blood vessels in the brain on a chemical level. There are several studies that show that certain parts of the brain—including the hippocampus, which is involved in verbal memory—are larger in people who are active than they are in people who are inactive.

Sexual problems

There are a few ways that physical inactivity can affect sexual performance. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology reported that men who watched more than five hours of television every day had a lower sperm concentration than men who did not watch television. In addition, sexual performance can be indirectly affected by other inactivity risk factors such as weight gain or anxiety, which can lead to erectile dysfunction.

Poorer appetite regulation

There are plenty of different factors, including fitness level and body fat percentage, that can affect appetite after physical activity. However, several studies have shown that exercise decreases the appetite-stimulating hormone and increases the appetite-suppressing hormone. Appetite is much more complex than just these two hormones, but it is important to note that there is a link between appetite with physical activity.

Poor posture

Posture plays a role in both physical health and mental health. Physically, poor posture can cause back pain and affect your abdominal organs and breathing. Diminished physical well-being can subsequently impact your mood and mental health. Being physically active can strengthen your posture by building strong abdominal and back muscles. Good posture protects against back pain and can improve overall health.

Constipation

Physical inactivity can have negative effects on the digestive system because exercise promotes digestion and motility, which helps regulate bowel movements. Inactivity slows the entire digestive process and can lead to constipation. If you already struggle with constipation, inactivity can make it even worse.

Burden on health care

Physical inactivity has so many negative health impacts that it has become a huge burden on health-care systems around the world. In 2009, it was estimated that the total health-care costs of physical inactivity in Canada was $6.8 billion. According to the CDC, inadequate physical activity is responsible for $117 billion in health-care costs every year in the United States.

The post What are the health risks of an inactive lifestyle appeared first on Espresso Communication