We all know fitness’s importance and regular exercise in our daily routines. But there are barriers to living a more active life. Inactivity leads to lifestyle diseases, including stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It also contributes to increased mortality rates, meaning those who are less active tend to die younger and have greater health concerns and reduced quality of life as they age.
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A busy schedule with work, family, and plenty of distractions can make it hard to get enough exercise. Limited access to fitness facilities or education on being active can be challenging. Preexisting injuries and the fear of causing further damage or injury is another big barrier for many, especially those with a heightened risk factor who are just starting with a fitness regime or are past their prime. But increased activity can begin to reverse health concerns, making it well worth the effort.
You can do several things to increase your activity levels while avoiding injuries. One you might not have considered is simply getting enough sleep. If you’re overtired, your awareness of your environment and ability to respond to surprises is reduced, and distraction and clumsiness are frequent causes of injury. Even if you don’t feel tired, you may be at risk. Aim for at least eight and a half hours of sleep a day. It sounds counterintuitive to recommend rest in an article about staying active. Still, it’s foundational to whole-body health and will support your efforts to be more active, increasing your energy levels and alertness.
Start slow, and seek out support. If you’re looking for ways to increase your activity levels, you should avoid trying to take shortcuts instead of working your way up gradually from whatever your baseline is. That means short runs, light weights, or a beginner team sport. Ideally, you should join a class or gym or work with a dedicated coach or personal trainer qualified to help you become more active at a pace that’s right for your body and in healthy ways. It may sound ridiculous to get coached on proper movement. Still, most of us don’t have an innate sense of the best ways to move to avoid injury, which becomes particularly important when you get into endurance or high-intensity fitness activities that strain your body.
Using the right gear is also important. Tommie Copper offers workout wear engineered to brace and support while you’re active. If you have a preexisting injury, a circulatory issue, or joint problems, you should consider stabilizing and keeping that part of your body. If you don’t have any known injuries or areas of concern, you can improve performance and avoid damage with the right fitness wear. Tommie Copper offers stylish and high-performance technical gear for every body part. You can brace your core, stabilize joints, or manage circulatory concerns with compression wear during your workouts.
Staying active can help you live longer and better, so it’s well worth overcoming the challenges and getting started today. Get enough sleep, start slow, and seek support from qualified instructors or coaches and the right technical gear for your needs.
