Physical Activity Archive

Physical activity improves physical and mental health, and walking is the simplest way to stay active. Walking for more than 10 minutes at a time may offer extra benefits, but all movement counts. For people over 60, 6,000 to 8,000 steps a day are optimal, regardless of walking speed.

Reclining and lying down may be linked to worse cardiovascular health while short bouts of sitting or standing may reduce cardiovascular risk, according to a 2025 study.

Population-based studies have linked regular sauna use with better heart health. The high temperature inside a sauna—which usually ranges from about 150° F to 195° F—causes blood vessels to dilate, raising the heart rate and increasing blood flow throughout the body. However, randomized trials haven’t found much evidence that saunas can improve measures of cardiovascular health. People with low blood pressure, valve disease, and heart failure should be cautious while using saunas.

Simple mistakes can undermine an exercise regimen. Some errors can lead to muscle injury, such as skipping a warm-up before a workout, slouching while exercising, cramming too much into a single exercise session, lifting too much weight, and working the same muscle groups every day without allowing them to rest properly. Another big mistake is not staying properly hydrated, which can be tough on the heart and muscles. To avoid mistakes, it might help to work with a physical therapist or personal trainer.

An October 2025 study found that at least 15 minutes of fast-walking each day was associated with longer life.

In a 2025 study, people who followed a Mediterranean diet, reduced their calorie intake, exercised at least 150 minutes a week, and received weight-loss support lowered their diabetes risk and lost more weight than those who only followed a Mediterranean diet.

As the number of pickleball players has grown, so has the number of eye injuries in people ages 50 or older, according to a 2025 study. Such injuries include damage to the eye surface, retinal detach­ment, or fractures near the eye socket.

Simple, proven strategies to live a longer, healthier life can help people become super-agers, defined as people who reach the age of 70 without any major diseases such as heart disease, cancer, or dementia. These habits include doing strength training to preserve muscle mass, eating a mostly vegetarian diet that provides many healthful nutrients, and prioritizing healthy sleep habits.

There is little evidence that dietary supplements marketed as performance enhancers do more than following a well-balanced diet. Two nutrients that can help people during extended exercise are carbohydrates and caffeine.

A form of strength training called time under tension (TUT)focuses on the amount of time muscles are activated during an exercise rather than the number of repetitions or amount of weight. TUT forces people to use a slower tempo and controlled movements when exercising, which keeps the muscles engaged longer, helping to stimulate muscle growth. TUT can be applied to practically any type of strength training exercise, including free weights and gym machines.