How much exercise should you do each day according to your age?

Dec 26, 2023Mar Fondevila Cornado0 comments

Adopting a daily exercise routine is essential to reduce the risk of diseases, strokes and even mental illnesses such as depression.

¿Cuánto ejercicio debes hacer cada día según tu edad?

Exercising is of utmost importance to improve your physical condition, as well as to achieve a better quality of life and enjoy good health . Those who practice some physical activity live longer and in better shape than those who do not practice any sport.

The minutes you should dedicate to exercise each day change depending on your age, since the sports routine has to adapt to the different needs that you have at each stage of life , because age not only determines the type of exercise, but also how many minutes a day you should practice it.

Physical activity levels around the world, according to the WHO

More than a quarter of the world's adult population (1.4 billion adults) do not achieve sufficient levels of physical activity .

Worldwide, around one in three women and one in four men do not do enough physical activity to stay healthy.

Inactivity levels are twice as high in high-income countries as in low-income countries.

Global physical activity levels have not improved since 2001.

Insufficient physical activity increased by 5% (from 31.6% to 36.8%) in high-income countries between 2001 and 2016 .

Increasing levels of physical inactivity have negative impacts on health systems, the environment, economic development, community well-being and quality of life.

Globally, 28% of adults aged 18 and over were not sufficiently active in 2016 (23% of men and 32% of women).

In high-income countries, 26% of men and 35% of women did not do enough physical activity , compared with 12% of men and 24% of women in low-income countries.

The decline in physical activity is partly due to inactivity during leisure time and sedentary behaviour at work and at home . The increased use of "passive" means of transport also contributes to insufficient physical activity.

Physical activity as a solution to sedentary lifestyle

Various international organizations are very clear about the urgent need for physical activity for all people. For adults, the World Health Organization recommends doing up to 300 minutes of moderate intensity or 150 minutes of intense exercise per week.

These values are considered maximums, but they can be halved and still ensure an active life; that is, 150 minutes of moderate and 75 minutes of intense exercise per week is also considered a healthy number.

If we divide these maximum values into seven days, it will give us a total of approximately 45 or 20 minutes of daily activity, depending on the type of exercise performed. However, there are many other factors that influence this exercise planning.

Risk factors

Exercising every day also has its risks if you overdo it. In fact, a study published by “Sports Medicine” details the negative consequences of overtraining, which include problems with metabolism, inability to recover after training and a higher risk of muscle injuries, among many others.

If we are not professional athletes and therefore do not have adequate advice, we must take into account some fundamental precautions:

We cannot suddenly go from a sedentary lifestyle to daily exercise . The change must be gradual to give the body time to adapt and avoid injuries.

Proper nutrition is essential . The diet must include proteins, carbohydrates and good quality fats, as explained in a WHO publication.

The right type of exercise will depend on age, health, lifestyle and routine . It is important to note that if we suffer from any illness, the doctor will be the one who must determine the sports routine. In this way, the risks are minimized and the benefits of each discipline are better utilized.

How many minutes of exercise should we do per day?

The World Health Organization tells us the importance of physical exercise and how much exercise is recommended based on age range. This activity can reduce the risk of premature death, heart disease, hypertension, cancer and type 2 diabetes.

Experts have created three age groups based on the stages of life and in which you should adjust your times and routines so that the benefits you obtain from exercise are maximum.

Between 5 and 17 years old

At this early age, the most recommended activity for children is recreational physical activity and sports for about 60 minutes a day, as recommended by the WHO. These include activities such as running, swimming or walking. In addition, it is advisable to do activities that strengthen the muscles three days a week.

Between 18 and 64 years old

At this age, which most of society is comprised of, a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity is recommended (walking, dancing, doing housework, playing with children, walking the dog) and 75 minutes of more intense physical activity (running, swimming, competitive sports such as football or tennis, going to the gym).

To help reduce the detrimental effects of more sedentary behaviors on health, all adults and older adults should try to increase their moderate to vigorous physical activity above the recommended level.

From the age of 65

In this case, the WHO maintains similar recommendations to the previous stage, but dividing the exercise into daily sessions lasting at least 10 minutes.

Varied physical activities with multiple components, emphasizing functional balance and moderate or higher intensity muscle strength training, three or more days a week, to improve functional capacity and prevent falls.

Pregnant and postpartum women

All pregnant and postpartum women without contraindications need to do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week. During this time, they should make sure to include both aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises. However, they should avoid risky activities and stop at any warning signs such as contractions or dizziness.

People with chronic diseases

For those living with chronic diseases, it is recommended to perform at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of intense aerobic physical activity.

Why it's so important to exercise as we get older

Practicing exercise regularly contributes to maintaining good health and preventing diseases. We all know that a sedentary lifestyle is one of the main enemies of health and that as we get older and our body gets used to not having physical activity, our muscles and bones suffer and can lead to diseases or muscle atrophy.

Many diseases can be prevented by having an appropriate sports routine and some moderate exercise, since our body has been designed to be in motion, and the muscles require physical activation to stay strong.

For children, teenagers and adults alike, regular exercise brings multiple benefits as long as it is done following the recommendations of experts and adapting the frequency and intensity to our capacity or possible health problems. Training is not the same at 20 years old as it is at 35 or 50, so it is important to adapt training to the age and physical condition of each person.