The Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guideline is making the world a better place

 
 

The big picture

Here at Rise & Shine Healthcare, we’re in it for the long game. We focus on physical well-being now to reduce your risk of physical disability later. It’s not about making big changes. It's about the small changes you choose to make every day. A lot of times, we focus on less important details and miss the big picture. Here's the big picture: your whole day matters.

Your whole day matters

The Canadian 24-hour movement guidelines aims to highlight the big picture. They were created with the best available scientific evidence. So it's no surprise to say following these guidelines help you squeeze the most out of life. When you focus on your health, everything else seems to fall in line.

The guidelines:

Physical Activity

Performing a variety of types and intensities of physical activity, which includes:

  • Moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activities at least 150 minutes per week

  • Muscle strengthening activities using major muscle groups at least twice a week

  • Several hours of light physical activities, including standing

Sleep

  • Getting 7 to 9 hours of good-quality sleep on a regular basis, with consistent bed and wake-up times.

Sedentary Behaviour

Limiting sedentary time to 8 hours or less, which includes:

  • No more than 3 hours of recreational screen time

  • Breaking up long periods of sitting as often as possible

Great, so what?

Only 16% of Canadians meet the aerobic physical guidelines. Although the guidelines suggest what to do, it doesn’t tell us how to do it.

Here are some quick tips to help you get started:

  • Start small, be consistent. Start small, no matter how small, and build momentum. This will help you stay motivated. A 10 min walk in the morning, can be a huge step in the right direction.

  • It’s not about perfection. Life happens. If you drop the ball one day, don’t sweat it. Move on and try again tomorrow.

That’s all she wrote.

I hope this has been helpful for you. For further support, book an online appointment with me and we’ll get you on track with your health goals.


Reference:

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18-64 years: An Integration of Physical Activity, Sedentary Behaviour, and Sleep, January 2011

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