A couple of decades back, most people in India did not have access to gadgets such as vacuum cleaners nor did they have maids. They would do all the household chores themselves, no wonder most of them are quite active and healthy even in their sixties.
A new study reveals that doing household chores is like doing exercise and could help you live longer.
- The small amounts of physical activity from cleaning the floor and tidying up (keeping yourself busy with household chores for 150 minutes – 2.5 hours – a week) cuts the risk of death by almost one third
- Domestic duties/chores that keep you active are as good as gym workouts
- The more you exercise, the better it gets for you: if you stay active for 750 minutes a week you reduce your chances of an early death by almost 40 percent.
The study was conducted by McMaster University in Canada. A similar study was also published in medical journal The Lancet.
What it basically says is that you need to be physical activity, doesn’t matter how you do it. Even 30 minutes most days of the week offers substantial health benefits and lower risks.
As per the study, doing lower intensity activities for around 30 minutes provides you with aerobic benefits. So, pressing the button on the washing machine or just turning on the vacuum cleaner doesn’t count. You need to do housework that requires lots of movement in every direction, which will get your heart pumping and count as aerobic activity thus providing you the benefits.
While going to the gym, going for a run, going swimming are all fantastic, but for some reason or the other, if you’re unable to do it because of time constraints, there’s an alternative now for you, those are not the only way to get physical activity.
We hope this report encourages you to get moving.
Don’t have time to hit the gym? You can still be fit by washing/scrubbing/sweeping the floor, cleaning the kitchen, or by gardening.
No physical activity at all in your lifestyle? Get that vacuum cleaner and start vacuuming.
Don’t want to do the chores, even a brisk walk to work in the morning helps. Take the stairs. If you take transit to work, walk to a further stop or get off a stop early. Even getting up every 30 minutes and walking around the office for two minutes is better than sitting continuously.
Daily movements will provide you with several benefits – be it doing the housework, taking a long stroll or going for a walk, you decide what suits your.
Just do it five times a week for half an hour, and its as good as going to the gym.
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