Keeping Active
Keeping active
Being active is not just good for you physically, it has the power to do so much more – it can, for example, help prevent or manage medical conditions, reduce anxiety or stress, improve a person's confidence or self-esteem, or bring people from diverse backgrounds together.
But how much activity should we be aiming for? There are guidelines for this, created by the UK Chief Medical Officer:
- Under 5's - at least 3 hours a day. All under 5's should minimise the amount of time spent being sedentary (being restrained or sitting) for extended periods (except time spent sleeping). Children of pre-school age who are capable of walking unaided should be physically active daily for at least 180 minutes (3 hours), spread throughout the day.
- 5 to 18 year olds - at least 1 hour a day. All children and young people (5 to 18 year olds) should engage in moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity for at least 60 minutes and up to several hours every day.
- Adults - at least 2.5 hours over a week. Adults should aim to be active daily. Over a week, activity should add up to at least 150 minutes (2½ hours) of moderate intensity activity in bouts of 10 minutes or more – one way to approach this is to do 30 minutes on at least 5 days a week.
Let’s Get Doncaster Moving!
Did you know that getting active can reduce anxiety and stress, combat low mood and increase self-esteem? It can help you feel good on the inside and out.
Visit the Get Doncaster Moving website for inspiration, advice and resources to support you to move more in Doncaster.
There are lots of different types of exercise and physical activity. You'll find advice on how to get started in the Get moving pages, including what 'being active' really means.
Find activities near you - for advice on how to find out what is happening in your local area and how to be active where you live, visit the Your Life Doncaster Community Directory and the Your Community pages.