Sitting for long, uninterrupted periods of time may leave you more prone to cardiovascular problems.

How much time do you spend sitting each day? If you’re like most people, more than half of your waking hours are spent parked on a chair or sofa. Even if you dedicate at least 30 minutes a day to structured exercise (such as brisk walking, cycling, or swimming), it’s still important to get up and move for at least a few minutes, many times throughout the day.

“The more you sit, the more your large muscles are not using glucose, the body’s main energy source. Uninterrupted sitting can cause blood sugar levels to rise, triggering the release of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar,” says Dr. Hicham Skali, a cardiologist with Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Over time, sedentary habits cause the body to become less sensitive to insulin. The resulting insulin resistance promotes inflammation, a key player in the buildup of fatty plaque inside arteries, he explains.

Preliminary evidence from studies in rats suggests that sedentary behavior may change the activity of dozens of genes, including the gene responsible for making lipoprotein lipase (LPL). This enzyme helps break down fat so it can be used for energy or stored in the body. When rats were prevented from moving, LPL levels decreased, a change that may also contribute to raising heart disease risk, Dr. Skali explains.

Don’t just sit there

The evidence about the harms of uninterrupted sitting (and the benefits of breaking it up) has been piling up for years, aided by tools such as fitness trackers that reveal people’s typical activity patterns.

Here are just a few examples of supportive studies:

• More than 2,600 people ages 60 and older reported their typical sitting habits (including a weekday and weekend) and were followed for nine years. Those who sat for an average of about three hours a day were 33% less likely to die of cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period than people who sat for an average of about seven hours a day.
• Among 8,000 people followed for 10 years, those who did light activity instead of sitting for 30 minutes each day had a 17% lower risk of dying in that period, even if they split up that half-hour of activity into periods as brief as a minute each.
• In more than 5,600 women followed for five years, reducing sedentary time by one hour per day was linked to a 26% lower risk of heart disease. Again, the hour of non-sedentary time didn’t have to occur all at once. Short, light-intensity interruptions to sitting were just as effective.

Making the moves

There are many ways you can add short bursts of movement to your daily routine. Whenever you notice you’ve been sitting for a while, do a short set of exercises — say five to 10 squats or leg lifts, Dr. Skali suggests. You can also keep a stretchy exercise band near your favorite chair to get some arm exercises in as well. Here are some other ideas:

Set a reminder. Many fitness trackers feature alerts that remind you to get up at least once an hour. But you can also use a smartphone or a regular kitchen timer; use it during periods when you tend to sit for long stretches.

Take care of your chores less efficiently. Put your groceries or other purchases in small bags and make multiple trips from your car to your home. Stand up while folding laundry, and put just a few items of clothing away at a time to get more steps in.

Pace or tidy up during phone calls. Whenever you’re on the phone, stand up. Try to walk back and forth or in circles while you talk. Or use a hands-free headset and do some light housework while you chat.

Move a little while you watch TV. The average American watches close to five hours of television a day, and that amount increases as people age. At least once an hour, stand up and march in place, swing your arms, or do some easy stretches.

Take the long way. Whenever you drive somewhere, park in a spot farther from the door to get in some extra steps. Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator, even if you climb only one or two of the total flights.

Recommendations

Every week, adults 65 and older need:

• Aerobic physical activity that includes:
  • At least 150 minutes at moderate intensity. This could be 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
  • Or 75 minutes at vigorous intensity.
  • Or an equivalent combination at moderate and vigorous intensity.
• At least 2 days of activities that strengthen muscles.
• Activities to improve balance.

If you have trouble meeting these recommendations, be as physically active as your abilities and conditions allow. Remember that some physical activity is better than none at all. Your health benefits will also increase with the more physical activity that you do.

Moving your body does so many good things for your physical and mental health. It improves blood sugar, helps reduce stress, boosts mood, builds muscle, lowers the risk of heart disease and more. However, finding time for exercise can be challenging, especially when you’re busy. 

Fortunately, getting the recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity doesn’t require a long, sweaty workout or a trip to the gym. Fitness experts have tricks that can help you squeeze regular movement into your day, even when you don’t have time to work out. These can include using a standing desk with a walking pad, taking regular two-minute breaks for “exercise snacks” or meeting friends for a pickleball game instead of grabbing drinks. And don’t underestimate the power of finding the best time of day that exercise works with your busy schedule. Because, in the end, life shouldn’t get in the way of staying strong and active.

A single session of moderate to vigorous physical activity provides immediate benefits for your health. In addition, regular physical activity helps prevent many chronic diseases.

Here are ways to be more physically active:

Turn up the music and dance. Twisting and turning can be a fun way to be physically active.

Take active breaks. Break up your sedentary time with physical activity. For example, squat or march in place between programs while you’re watching television. Or stand on one leg to improve your balance.

Add physical activity to your routine. When shopping, park at the back of the parking lot and walk to the shop. Inside, walk around the perimeter of the store before getting what you need. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Get off transit one stop sooner and walk to your destination. If you already walk routinely, start carrying hand weights on your treks.

Walk the dog. Dogs are great walking companions and can help you have an active lifestyle. One study found that dog owners on average walk 22 minutes more every day compared to people who don’t own a dog. If you already walk your dog, try going a little further on your walks.

Remember that some activity is better than none, and every little bit counts. Even some chores such as raking and bagging leaves, using a lawn mower, or vacuuming can help you get active.

6 Ways to Move More During the Day When You Don’t Have Time to Work Out, According to Fitness Experts

You want to exercise regularly. You even crave it, knowing how good you’ll feel afterward and how it will benefit your long-term health. The problem is, you just can’t seem to fit it into your day. Sound familiar? Truth is, no matter how much you want to exercise, sometimes life has other plans. Whether it’s a hectic work schedule, never-ending family obligations or a stream of social commitments, carving out time for physical activity can be a challenge. 

1. Use a Standing Desk and Walking Pad

You may not have time to exercise during your busy day. But standing and walking during the day can be a game-changer. “If you work from home, consider a standing desk with a walking pad,” says certified personal trainer and fitness instructor Emma Graves. “This low-impact, low-intensity cardio can skyrocket your daily step count and is perfect for multitasking.”

Even if you don’t have a desk job, a standing desk or a walking pad can be great ways to squeeze in activity. Research has found that standing desks may improve vascular function in the legs and reduce insulin resistance and triglycerides among people with obesity. And walking has endless benefits, from improving sleep and mental health to decreasing the severity and risk of many health conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. One study even found that using a walking desk may help people feel as though they have a better work-life balance.

2. Turn Social Time into a Workout

“If you’re a social butterfly, consider scheduling physical activities with friends,” Graves says. Maybe it’s an evening or morning walk, a swim, a volleyball game or a pickleball or tennis match. “Not only will you burn calories, train your body in multiple planes of motion and strengthen your heart and lungs, you’ll also have fun and connect with others while doing it,” she says.

3. Integrate Small Movement and Stretching Breaks

Physical therapist Devin Trachman, DPT, recommends scheduling short breaks throughout your day for stretching, posture exercises and strength-based movements, like planks, squats and heel raises. Research shows that even small amounts of activity may significantly benefit your health. For instance, one study found that as little as 12 minutes daily of moderate to vigorous physical activity may improve heart health and blood sugar.

Plus, less sitting means you’ll probably feel better physically. “When we sit, we are flexed at the hips, which can lead to hip tightness and potential lower back pain,” Graves says. “It’s important to stand throughout the day to maintain your posture, improve your circulation and reduce pain.”

4. Time It Right

Exercise habits are way more likely to stick when they fit well with your lifestyle, says Trachman. If you know you’re more likely to be able to work out without interruption at 5 a.m. rather than 5 p.m., set that early alarm and make it happen before the rest of the world wakes up. Or, if you’re someone who prefers winding down from the day with an after-dinner walk rather than sitting on the couch, lean into it. 

5. Try “Exercise Snacks”

Exercise snacks are short bursts of movement that take just a minute or two at a time. Two minutes may seem small. But the benefits add up when you integrate exercise snacks throughout the day, making them both time-efficient and effective. 

According to one study, exercise snacks can improve cardiovascular endurance and metabolic and heart health. And results from another small study offer even more encouraging evidence. When adults with type 2 diabetes interrupted prolonged periods of sitting with short, three-minute bursts of light-intensity walking or simple resistance exercises, like calf raises, every 30 minutes, they experienced improvements in insulin, glucose and triglyceride levels.

“Any exercise you like can be turned into a snack,” says fitness instructor and personal trainer Andrea Lepcio. “Get creative, avoid boredom and add variety.” 

Here are some of her favorite exercise snack suggestions:

• Hold a plank for 30 to 60 seconds.
• Sit down, then stand up. Repeat 10 times.
• Do 8 to 12 bridges or bird dogs.
• Do 8 to 12 leg lifts or leg circles. 
• Do high knee lifts, lateral lunges or hamstring curls for 30 seconds.
• Walking to a meeting or to lunch.

6. Walk and Talk

“When trying to start a new habit, like walking more, it’s helpful to stack it on top of an existing habit, like taking a work call,” Graves says. If you have to take a call, consider doing it on the move. Maybe this means you catch up with family and friends while walking outside or pedaling on a stationary bike. You can even squeeze in some movement during work calls that don’t require you to be in front of a computer. 

Get started by keeping track of your daily activities for one week with this diary.:

Think about times throughout the day you could be physically active. Make those times a regular part of your daily or weekly schedule. Find more tips to fit physical activity into your day with Move Your Way

Benefits

Immediate

• Sleep: improves sleep quality.
• Less Anxiety: reduces feelings of anxiety.
• Blood Pressure: reduces blood pressure.

Long-term

• Brain Health: reduces risks of developing dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) and reduces risk of depression.
• Heart Health: lowers risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
• Cancer Prevention: lowers risk of 8 cancers (bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach).
• Healthy Weight: reduces risk of weight gain.
• Independent Living: helps people live independently longer.
• Bone Strength: improves bone health.
• Balance and Coordination: reduces risks of falls.

Emerging research suggests physical activity may also help boost immune function

xercise may make you feel happier

Research has shown that exercise may improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.

The authors of a 2025 study reported that moderate exercise of 10 to 30 minutes is effective at improving mood.

Exercise may increase levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. These hormones help regulate mood, including decreasing feelings of depression. Physical activity may also increase the release of endorphins, which help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain.

Stopping exercise may also affect your mood and mental health. A small 2022 study observed that when regularly active people stopped exercise for just 2 weeks, they reported an increase in symptoms related to depression, anxiety, and other mood conditions.

Exercise can help with weight management

Inactivity can play a major role in weight gain and obesity, which may lead to health complications. Exercise can help you maintain a moderate weight by increasing energy expenditure, also known as spending.

Your body spends energy in three ways:

• digesting food
• exercising
• maintaining body functions, like your heartbeat and breathing

A calorie deficit is key to burning fat. However, your metabolic rate — the speed at which you burn fat — may slowTrusted Source with time in a calorie deficit and as you lose weight. This can delay further weight loss. Regular exercise may increaseTrusted Source your metabolic rate. This can burn more calories and help you manage your weight.

Combining aerobic (cardio) exercise with resistance training can also maximize fat loss while maintaining or building muscle mass. This is known as body recomposition, which could help you maintain lean muscle and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Exercise is good for your muscles and bones

Physical activity plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones.

As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass, strength, and function. This increases the risk of injury. Regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength as you age.

Exercise also helps build bone density. The authors of a 2022 reviewTrusted Source reported that regular exercise significantly improved bone density in the lumbar spine, neck, and hip bones. This may help prevent osteoporosis later in life.

Impact exercises like jumping rope, running, plyometric exercises, or soccer may help promoteTrusted Source higher bone density than low impact sports like swimming and cycling.

Exercise can increase your energy levels

Exercise may help boost your energy levelsTrusted Source and reduce fatigue. Individualized activity plans can even be helpful as a complementary treatment for many health conditions, such as cancer.

Aerobic exercise boosts your cardiovascular system and improves lung health, which may help with energy levels.

As you move, your heart pumps more blood, delivering more oxygen to your working muscles. With regular exercise, your heart becomes more efficientTrusted Source at moving oxygen into your blood.

Over time, exercise also places less demand on your lungs. This is one of the reasons why you may find yourself getting less and less out of breath with time, according to the American Lung Association.

Exercise can reduce your risk of chronic disease

Regular physical activity is an essential factorTrusted Source in reducing your risk of many chronic diseases, such as:

• type 2 diabetes
• heart diseaseTrusted Source
• cancerTrusted Source, such as breast, colorectal, lung, and liver cancer, among other types
• high LDL cholesterolTrusted Source
• hypertension

Exercise can support skin health

Inflammation from oxidative stress can affect your skin. Oxidative stress occurs when your body’s antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the cell damage caused by compounds known as free radicals. It can damage cell structure and negatively affect your skin.

Intense and exhaustive physical activity may contribute to oxidative damage. However, a 2024 review suggests that moderate exercise may actually help alleviate the stress caused by free radicals.

The authors of a 2021 review also concluded that regular exercise may help delay the appearance of skin aging, prevent psoriasis, and improve venous leg ulcers.

Exercise can help with relaxation and sleep quality

Regular exercise can help you relaxTrusted Source and sleep better.

Physical activity may improve your sleep quality as the energy loss that occurs during exercise stimulates restorative processesTrusted Source during sleep.

Also, the increase in your body temperature during exercise may help it dropTrusted Source during sleep, which could promote better sleep.

A 2026 analysis of seven studies reported that physical activity linked to improved sleep time and quality, plus taking less time to fall asleep. Exercise types included in the studies ranged from aerobic and resistance exercises to tai chi and water activities.

Exercise may reduce pain

Chronic pain can be debilitating. For many years, the recommendation for treating chronic pain was rest and inactivity.

However, many researchers, including the authors of this 2021 reviewTrusted Source, suggest that exercise may serve as a natural treatment for pain relief and improved quality of life.

One way exercise may help prevent or reduce chronic pain is through its possible pain-relieving effects and ability to increase pain toleranceTrusted Source over time. It can also help with other impacts of chronic pain, such as stress and sleep problems.

Exercise may help you manage chronic painTrusted Source associated with various health conditions, including:

• chronic low back pain
• fibromyalgia
• arthritis

Talk with your medical team for tailored advice about being active while managing a chronic pain condition.

Regular physical activity helps lower your cancer risk

Physically active adults have a significantly lower risk of developing several commonly occurring cancers, as well as lower risk of several other cancers. Research shows that adults who engage in greater amounts of physical activity have reduced risks of developing cancers of the:

• Bladder
• Breast
• Colon
• Endometrium (innermost lining layer of the uterus)
• Esophagus
• Kidney
• Lung
• Stomach

Exercise can promote a better sex life

Regular exercise may help improve your sex lifeTrusted Source.

Engaging in regular exercise can strengthen your heart, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and enhance flexibility, all of which may help during sexual activity.

A 2018 reviewTrusted Source suggests that regular exercise may help improve sexual satisfaction, arousal, and well-being in women. Regular resistance training may also help increase sex driveTrusted Source.

A 2023 review of 12 trials also reported that consistent aerobic exercise may help improve erectile function.

Physical Activity Boosts Brain Health

Physical activity can help you think, learn, problem-solve, and enjoy an emotional balance. It can improve memory and reduce anxiety or depression. To begin with, exercise promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It can also stimulate the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells, and reduce inflammation from oxidative stress.

For example, exercise has been reportedTrusted Source to increase the hippocampus’ size, which may help improve mental function. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning.

Regular physical activity is also important for older adults because it can help slow down age-related cognitive decline and improve cognitive function in aging. It may also help reduce the risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.

Regular physical activity can also improve signs of brain health, and short bursts of physical activity can boost brain functions such as memory and thinking skills. What’s more, regular physical activity can reduce your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. In fact, the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recognizes prevention of dementia (including Alzheimer’s) as a benefit of participating in moderate to vigorous intensity activity, which can include brisk walking, swimming, dancing, and even doing household chores. The mechanisms for this are not completely known but could include hormonal changes and changes to brain volume.

Regular physical activity can help you sleep and feel better, reduce the risk of some common cancers and other diseases such heart diseases and diabetes, and add years to your life.

You don’t have to be a fitness guru to reap the benefits. No matter your age or fitness level, any amount of physical activity can help.