Most of us have heard of the benefits of intermittent fasting. We’ve also heard about the dangers of sitting too long. Well, recent research shows the benefits of brief, periodic movements, what I call intermittent activity. I have discussed this in detail in my book Today Is Still the Day. I suggest setting a timer to go off every 30-45 minutes and then engaging in some type of activity or movement.

Although this study used 5-minute walks, you can substitute any type of movement/activity you prefer. Depending on whether you’re at home or in the office, I recommend things like stretches, squats, jumping jacks, lunges, high knees, donkey kicks, and short walks.

It is not news that sitting for long periods of time has a negative impact on health. In fact, sitting for long periods of time, even if you exercise regularly, is just as dangerous to your health as smoking. One expert has called this being “actively sedentary,” which she describes as: “…a new category of people who are fit for an hour but sit the rest of the day. You can’t make up for 10 hours of stillness with an hour of exercise.

The reason these periodic, intermittent breaks from activity are so important is this: when people sit without interruption for 3 hours, it negatively affects the ability of the lining of the arteries in the legs to expand and dilate as needed. needed in response to blood flow. This symptom can be a precursor to heart disease. When people divide their 3 hours of sitting with 5-minute breaks to walk once an hour, the function of the arteries in the legs is not adversely affected.

In fact, it is recommended that for every 30 minutes of sitting, you move for a minimum of one minute and 45 seconds. It doesn’t matter much what you do. The suggestions above are a good starting point. There are standing desks and even standing desks with treadmills so you can get active while you get work done.

Obviously, if you work from home, you may have a little more leeway to break work activity into your day. If you work in an office, every bathroom break can become an activity break. Walking to a colleague’s desk instead of texting or emailing is another burst of activity. Going for a walk, outdoors if possible, during your lunch hour is another great way to up your activity game.

While you may not be able to invest in an expensive standing desk or treadmill, you can certainly include the simple ways to increase your activity level already mentioned. I go into more detail about this in my book, Today Is Still the Day, but even sitting on a balance disc or exercise ball for a few hours of your workday helps you activate your core muscles while sitting.

Making these intermittent activity breaks a part of your daily routine is a simple and painless way to protect your circulation and heart health.

Do you get up regularly during the day and move intentionally throughout the day?