Exercising regularly can make you feel better, more confident, happier, less stressed, sleep better and be more energised.
You can find information about being physically active during COVID-19 here. Please follow the latest Scottish Government advice.
Being more active can help with:
- sleeping better
- feeling more energised
- helping you socialise
- improved general health and wellbeing
- maintaining a healthy weight and much more
Increasing your activity levels is one of the best things you can do for your health. Being more active and exercising regularly can help reduce your chance of developing long-term conditions like Type II Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Depression and Dementia. For many long term conditions, physical activity can slow its progression or reduce its severity and medication may be reduced or even discontinued.
How much physical activity is recommended?
Adults and older adults: To stay healthy, adults aged 19-64 and 65+ should try to be physically active every day. Over a week you should aim to do aerobic activity and strength exercises. Over a week this could look like:
- Strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms)
AND
- at least 150 minutes (2 ½ hours) of moderate aerobic activity or,
- 75 minutes (1hr 15mins) of vigorous aerobic activity or,
- a mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week. For example, two 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of fast walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity
You can find more information about what counts as moderate or vigorous intensity activity here.
Children and young people: To maintain a basic level of health, children and young people aged 5- 18 need to do:
- at least 60 minutes of aerobic activity every day - this can be anything from cycling, walking, skateboarding or swimming
- on 3 days a week, these activities should involve exercises for strong muscles, such as football, gymnastics, or climbing, and exercises for strong bones, such as dancing, aerobics and tennis.
Early years (under 5): Being active every day is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. For this age group, physical activity of all intensities should be encouraged, including both light moving around and more energetic activity. Read more information about activities to do with a child under 5 here.
More information about physical activity guidelines can be found on the NHS inform website.
Small Changes you can make
Choosing what exercise you do depends on what you enjoy and your goals – whether you want to become more active, sit less, improve your strength or your balance. Your aim should be to sit less and move more.
You can start small, something is better than nothing. Building up the time you spend exercising in sets of 10 minutes is a good place to start, that small change can make a big difference. You could also try:
- 10 min / 10 min / 10 min: Three sessions of 10 minutes of physical activity throughout the day adds up to your daily recommended activity. You could try before work, during a break and after work.
- Exercising with friends: Some people find exercising with friends is helpful and to make a commitment to be active together. Find something you enjoy doing and ask someone to join you. You could go for a walk with your family or a friend.
- Travelling to work: Could you add exercise into your daily commute to work? Try cycling or get off the bus one stop early.
Check out this inspiring video called '23 and a half hours' on the benefits of being active for just half an hour a day.
Further support and resources
- Walk it provides free, low intensity, social health walks across most of the Borders. The walks are aimed at people who have low levels of physical activity.
- NHS Couch to 5K is free to access and will help you gradually work up towards running 5K in just 9 weeks.
- NHS Fitness Studio has free instructor-led videos including aerobics exercise, 10 minute workout videos, strength and resistance podcasts and pilates and yoga.
- Swimming pools and leisure centres are located across the Borders. Find out from the full list of facilities what is available near you. Currently closed during COVID-19
- LIVE Borders have facilities across the Borders providing a wide range of exercise opportunities for all ages and levels of fitness. They also offer outreach classes in local communities. Currently closed during COVID-19
- Walks in and around the grounds of the Borders General Hospital - these walks may be of interest if you are visiting or working at the Borders General Hospital
NHS Borders Wellbeing Service offers support to people who wish to improve their lives in one or more of the following areas: mental health and wellbeing; being more active; eating more healthily, quitting smoking. Trained advisers offer support sessions. People can self refer or be referred by their GP/other health professionals. For further information visit www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/wellbeing, call 01896 824502 or email wellbeing@borders.scot.nhs.uk.