Being active
Physical activity and exercise is good for our bodies and minds. It not only helps us stay healthier and more independent for longer, but can also help reduce the risk of developing major long term conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers. It also boosts our self-esteem, mental wellbeing, energy levels and sleep quality, along with lowering the risk of stress, depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.
Being physically active doesn’t mean you have to spend hours in the gym, there are many ways to include physical activity into your daily routine, such as brisk walking or mowing the lawn. It's just as important to avoid extended inactive periods, where possible.
Adults need to be active for at least 150 minutes every week and this can be in moderate intensity bouts as short as 10 to 30 minutes. Children and young people need slightly more physical activity than adults, and 15-18-year-olds should engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Children under 5 should do at least 180 mins per day.
The NHS have a range of fun 10-minute games to help get your family moving.
Better Health have a range of physical activity tools, tips and special offers such as discounted gym memberships.
For more information and advice about healthy living please see Live Well - NHS.
Our muscles naturally get weaker as we age. This means that muscle strengthening activity is the most important type of exercise to do as we get older in order to keep our muscles strong and healthy. The Chief Medical Officer recommends that muscle strengthening should be done at least 2 days a week.
Muscle strengthening activities involve using your body weight or working against a resistance. There are many other ways to build your strength other than just lifting weights, such as yoga or carrying heavy shopping.
For ideas of different strengthening activities, you can do at home and videos to follow have a look at the NHS website Exercise - NHS.
There are lots of different physical activity groups across the county which you can find through searching the Talk Community Directory.
Active Herefordshire and Worcestershire run a number of campaigns to help people become more active across the two counties. They also have an activity finder to help you find different sports or activities in your area.
Herefordshire is known for its beautiful countryside and there lots of different play areas and parks to choose from. See Herefordshire wildlife trusts website for a list of different nature reserves you can explore and wildlife to spot. Spending time in green space offers many benefits. Even exercising in green spaces for as little as five minutes has been found to improve mood and feelings of self-esteem!
Choose How You Move has a range of information on local walking and cycling routes whether you want to actively commute to work or enjoy a scenic ride.
Halo has a number of leisure centres and swimming pools across Herefordshire and offer a number of different classes and activities for all ages.
There are also a range of walking sports clubs for you to choose from.