Physical activity and exercise Archive

About 38 million Americans practice yoga, and three-quarters are women. Some people hesitate to try yoga because they wrongly believe they must be slender and flexible and need to buy costly equipment. But yoga's health benefits are plentiful and proven. Research suggests yoga eases depression, boosts sleep quality, improves chronic pain, and reduces cardiovascular disease risks. People can overcome their reluctance to try yoga by joining a class, taking a friend along, asking for modifications, and being patient with their progress.

People who routinely exercise far more than the federal activity guidelines recommend will likely reap heart and longevity benefits. But they should be sure not to neglect other heart-healthy habits, such as getting routine check-ups, keeping tabs on their risk factors, following a healthy diet, and paying attention to heart-related symptoms.

Spinning classes offer a great cardiovascular workout for older men and can help build lower-body muscle strength. Spinning is also a low-impact exercise that places less stress on the joints, which makes it ideal for men with knee or hip issues or those recovering from orthopedic injuries.

For improving cardiovascular risk, a workout that combines heart-pumping aerobic exercise and strength-based moves may be just as effective as an all-aerobic regimen, according to a 2024 study.

Resistance training (also called strength training or weight training) can improve heart-related risk factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and body composition. It's especially beneficial for older adults and people with an elevated risk for heart problems. A 2024 scientific statement from the American Heart Association recommends focusing on eight to 10 different exercises that target all the body's major muscle groups. Examples include chest presses, biceps curls, squats, and abdominal crunches.

Many strategies that reduce chronic pain are activities that support a healthy lifestyle. Examples include exercise, meditation, deep breathing, mindfulness, yoga, tai chi, stretching, sleeping seven to nine hours per night, staying socially connected, and managing stress. There are lots of free or low-cost ways to practice the activities or get better at them, such as apps, online videos, classes, and support groups. Strategies that require a little financial investment include physical therapy, dietitian services, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, in-person exercise classes, and talk therapy.

A 2023 study found that people with chronic conditions who took part in high-intensity interval training in the water-called aquatic HIIT or AHIIT-experienced a similar boost in endurance (their maximum sustained physical exertion) as people who took part in land-based HIIT. An AHIIT workout includes a warm-up, such as treading water, followed by intervals of rest and intense activity (such as swimming laps or doing four or five pool exercises in a row, as quickly as possible), for a total of 30 minutes.

New guidelines for managing atrial fibrillation focus on lifestyle habits to prevent and control the disorder. One recommendation is for people to limit alcohol to one drink per day, or ideally less. Another is for people who are overweight or obese to lose weight, either by striving for a body mass index no greater than 27 or by shedding at least 10% of their body weight. The guidelines also suggest that people get three to four hours of exercise per week. And people with afib who snore should consider getting tested for sleep apnea.

If you've been cocooning due to winter's cold, who can blame you? But lack of activity isn't good for body or mind during any season. Any day is a good day to start exercising, but if you aren't sure how to start, or if you have an obstacle to overcome, read on.

Walking and running share similar movements, but how the foot is supported differs, which is why most walking and running shoes are designed differently. When walking, the heels hit the ground first before the foot rolls forward to begin the next step. Because of this rolling motion, walking shoes are designed to have soft, flexible soles, which help a person push off with each step, and an angled heel to absorb most of the shock and reduce pressure on the ankles. In comparison, runner's feet strike anywhere from the heel to the midfoot or forefoot. Therefore, running shoes are designed to have thicker soles that act as shock absorbers.