A Perfect Healthy Day For Canadian Adults Has Been Revealed & It Involves Way Less Screens
Move that bod! For the first time ever, Canada has new 24-hour movement guidelines to break down the days and get Canadians moving so that they can start living their absolute best life.
The new tool, shared by ParticipACTION, is made specifically for adults in the True North.
It comes just in time as many Canadians have stayed indoors and been less active by way of COVID-19.
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Canada’s first ever 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults are here! They provide clear direction on what a healthy… https://t.co/c7v6rqTO7n— participaction (@participaction) 1602764312
What are the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines?
For starters, this guide is intended to show Canadians what exactly a healthy 24 hours should look like in your everyday life.
From your sleep pattern to how much time you spend looking at your screen, it gives you a straightforward overview of how much cutting back or packing on you should do in order to feel better in your body so that you can conquer the days ahead.
According to the report, the guidelines are different than anything we have seen in the past because it is apparently the first time that the three "movement behaviours" are discussed in one go.
This includes physical activity, sedentary and sleep behaviours.
"These guidelines pull together the best available evidence from across the globe to show Canadians how to make their whole day matter when it comes to movement behaviour," said Dr. Robert Ross, Chair, CSEP Consensus Panel.
What is a healthy 24-hour day?
The key to health is not just focusing on the three core methods for best results, but maintaining an overall balance is vital for good health, according to the report.
Following these tips and tricks in conjunction as opposed to taking on one solo is the best way to start.
Get moving
Firstly, the report says that Canadians should aim for 150 minutes per week of physical activity and engage in muscle building activities at least twice a week.
In addition, a few hours of simple physical activities such as walking, squatting or standing up can work great.
Screen time
The report says that Canadians should limit their screen time to eight hours or less in a day if it's for work. Moreover, it should be less than three hours if it's screen time for leisure.
They also advise breaking it up so that you are not sitting all day or for a long period.
[rebelmouse-image 25998188 photo_credit="O\u011fuzhan Akdo\u011fan | Unsplash" expand=1 original_size="4032x3024"] Oğuzhan Akdoğan | Unsplash
Sleep
Canadians aged 18 to 64 should often get up to 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep, which can be achieved by going to bed and waking up around the same time every day.
How has COVID-19 impacted the physical health of Canadians?
COVID-19 has brought forward issues to the overall health of Canadians.
However, Canadians were apparently not doing so well before COVID-19. The report gave Canadians a report card of a "D" grade for physical activity.
As the pandemic continues throughout the country, people are finding it challenging to remain fit.
According to the report, 29% of adults in Canada qualify as being "low active" and adults 18 to 79 years old are inactive for almost 10 hours of the day.*
"COVID-19 has given us a chance to take stock of what is most important in our lives, and for many that is our own health and the health of our loved ones," said Elio Antunes, President and CEO of ParticipACTION.
*Editor's note: This article has been updated.
