Couch Potato – Who? Me?

What are you doing now?  Right now?  Most of us are stuck at home while the snow is still falling, trying to stay warm.  We won’t even mention how bored our kids are. 

It’s easy to not be active when we are housebound because of our insane Oklahoma weather.  That is not good for our mind or our bodies.   It’s way too cold to stay outside.  Maybe you are suffering from The Pandemic 10 Pound Weight Gain.  Now, we’ve added the snowstorm of 2021! 

Let’s talk about reasons that sitting too much is bad for you, your health, and your mind.  Here’s what can happen:

  • It hurts your heart
  • Higher possibility of dementia
  • Sitting for hours can decrease any effects of exercising
  • Diabetes is more likely
  • Can cause blood clots
  • Weight gain
  • Increase in anxiety
  • Back pain
  • Cancer risk goes up
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Increase or cause depression and anxiety

So, what can you do about it?  We have some suggestions:

  • Get up and move every 30 minutes.  Set a timer.
  • If you are on the phone or watching tv, stand up.
  • Walk in place every hour for a couple of minutes or during commercials.
  • Make up your own Silly Dance and dance with your kids
  • Walk around your house or set up exercises to do in each room.
  • After reading a chapter or studying for 15 minutes, get up and move.
  • Do active housework like vacuuming and sweeping.  Put some fun music on and dance.
  • Do yoga or Tai Chi. 
  • Do you have stairs?  Walk up and down them.
  • Make sure to drink a lot of water!

The Mayo Clinic says:

The impact of movement — even leisurely movement — can be profound. For starters, you’ll burn more calories. This might lead to weight loss and increased energy. Also, physical activity helps maintain muscle tone, your ability to move and your mental well-being, especially as you age.

Check out this 10-Minute Workout from the American Heart Association

Physical activity can help you release stress, keep you calm, improve your mood, give you more energy, lower your blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease and stroke, and improve your sleep quality.  Lot’s of good stuff, right?  So…get up, and Move!

This and other Health Literacy resources are provided to the community through a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.   Funding was made possible by the Library Services and Technology Act and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

This Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.