Being Physically Active in the Pandemic (Part 1)

Since Covid started, world health officials have talked a lot about the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, and staying 6-ft away from others, but what is often left out of the discussion, is their recommendation to be active at least once a day. If you feel like you haven’t been physically active since the pandemic started, don’t worry—you’re not alone! Ideally, with the increased time at home, we would all be more willing to spend our time being active, but studies have shown adolescents are spending more of their time than usual in front of screens. To learn about reality of decreased physical activity around the country since the start of Covid, read here.

The National Football League’s Play 60 movement recommends you dedicate at least 60 minutes of your day to physical activity. Before a global pandemic, students shared this wasn’t always easy to meet during FitQuest, but always talk about how their PE classes help them reach that goal. With distanced learning being the format for most of your classes, you may feel your activity has gone down a bunch. As a result, you could potentially be experiencing some uncomfortable, negative health effects.

One of the reasons our world health leaders have tried to stress the necessity of being active in a pandemic is because of the benefits it can have on your mind and body. If you have ever gone for a walk on a sunny day even though you feel tired and sluggish, and returned feeling happy and energized, you already know how even small cases of being active can make a big difference. Being active while your young has been linked to a stronger immune system, better moods, increased concentration and more sleep. Read more about the benefits of physical activity in this Penn State research article, here.

Next week, we are going to give you a few tips on how to make physical activity an important part of everyday! If you’re interested in reading more about the importance of physical activity, how to go about it in a global pandemic, and tips for specific areas to focus on, visit the University of Michigan’s pandemic-related, physical activity discussion here.