Physical Activity Archive

A 2025 study suggests that squeezing a week’s worth of exercise (150 minutes) into just one or two days — a “weekend warrior” pattern — is linked to the same heart benefits as daily exercise.

Laughter yoga blends traditional yoga movements with laughter therapy to offer a playful approach to stress management. The group sessions consist of physical exercises and stretches, relaxation and breathing techniques, and forced smiling and vigorous laughter.

A small 2025 study found that older adults who did six months of weight training improved their ability to recall recent events and information. They also had had less brain shrinkage in regions affected by Alzheimer’s disease, compared with people who did not do the training.

Walking while wearing a weighted vest or backpack can help build muscle strength and bone density, improve the heart’s pumping ability, expand lung capacity, and burn additional calories. People with neck or back pain should not wear a weighted vest.

When blood pressure remains high despite treatment, making certain lifestyle changes can help. Examples include reducing dietary sodium and increasing dietary potassium, losing weight, limiting alcohol intake to no more than one drink per day, exercising (doing aerobics and strength training), using tools that improve medication adherence (such as an automatic pill dispenser, a medication diary, a smartphone alarm, or a reminder app), quitting smoking, getting more sleep, managing stress, and reducing caffeine intake.

Daily morning exposure to blue-enriched light can improve sleep quality and increase activity levels in older adults, according to a 2025 study. Researchers believe morning blue light "wakes up" the brain, which increases alertness and synchronizes the sleep-wake cycle.

A 2025 study found that people who are sedentary for 10.6 hours per day or more may face a higher risk of heart failure or dying from heart disease—even if they follow recommended exercise guidelines. Uninterrupted sitting has harmful effects on metabolism, leading the body to burn fewer calories and less fat. It can also cause blood sugar levels to rise, triggering the release of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. Over time, sedentary habits cause the body to become less sensitive to insulin. The resulting insulin resistance promotes inflammation, a key player in the buildup of fatty plaque inside arteries.

A 2025 review of 10 randomized controlled trials (involving about 300 people) found that those who took part in two or three one-hour water aerobics classes weekly for at least 10 weeks lost up to 6 pounds and trimmed their waists by about an inch.

National guidelines recommend at least two sessions of muscle-strengthening resistance training each week. Resistance training, also known as strength training, consists of upper- and lower-body exercises using free weights, weight machines, resistance bands, or one’s own body weight. Resistance training offers an array of benefits, including increased muscle strength, improved heart health, stronger bones, better mobility, and greater brain function.

The purported health benefits of cold plunges include less stress, better sleep, and enhanced immunity, but the evidence is thin. While the practice may ease muscle soreness after intense exercise, it may have detrimental effects on gains in muscle power and strength. Because the shock of cold water on the skin can raise heart rate and blood pressure, people with cardiovascular disease (especially heart rhythm abnormalities) should avoid the practice.