Besides the fact that sports help us keep fit, it also keeps us out of hospital. Here’s how much exercise you need to avoid hospitalization.
Besides the fact that sports help us keep fit, it also keeps us out of hospital. For people over 40, just 20 minutes of exercise a day can help keep you fit and avoid hospitalization for many years.
A study done on a sample of 81,717 UK adults show that those who exercise regularly have a reduced risk of hospitalisation. Increasing physical activity, including moderate-intensity exercise, is effective in reducing hospitalization for nine of the most common diseases.
These include iron deficiency anemia, urinary tract infections, colon polyps, gallbladder disease, venous thromboembolism, diverticular disease, diabetes, stroke, and pneumonia.
Diabetes, urinary tract infections, and gallbladder disease are least common among people who exercise daily. The study suggests that exercise not only keeps your heart healthy, but also helps you lose weight and tone up.
20 minutes of daily exercise can do wonders for your health
During the study, the link between the level of physical activity and the risk of hospitalization was examined. The participants’ physical activity was recorded while wearing an accelerometer on their wrist for one week between 2013 and 2015 with a follow-up after seven years. During this period, 48,560 participants were hospitalized for various reasons. The results show that adults of all ages who do at least 20 minutes of exercise daily are less likely to need hospitalisation.
The benefits of sport
Previous studies suggest that physical activity is the best “prescription” and should be the first treatment option for lowering hypertension or cholesterol. Research shows that the best way to maintain your weight in the long term is through exercise, not by eating less food.
Even simple exercise like walking helps burn calories, but more importantly, it increases longevity and reduces the risk of premature death or death from cardiovascular disease.
The psychological benefits of sports include fighting depression and anxiety, increasing resistance to stress and speeding up the mind.
