Don’t have time for exercise and relaxation? Well step away from the smartphone or laptop and you’ll be surprised what you can achieve, says Lynsey Charleston
Lack of time is often cited as one of the biggest barriers for not being as healthy as we’d like – what with work, family commitments, the tedious commute into the office and a busy social life.
But these days, on top of all that, we also have modern technology zapping our precious minutes, with many (in fact, most) of us checking our phones, emails, and Facebook and Twitter accounts from the moment we wake to the moment we sleep .
Guaranteed, almost everyone standing at a bus stop, sitting on a train or even sitting on the sofa is fiddling with their gadgets, whether they’re listening to music, playing games or indulging in a quick selfie.
In itself, this now unavoidable part of life might not be doing us any real harm, but the side-effect of gadget addiction often means we’re losing valuable time that could be spent exercising, relaxing and eating healthily – three things which are vital to our overall health and wellbeing.
So before you declare: “I don’t have any time to work out!” take a long hard look at how many hours a day you’re spending glued to a screen.
Could you cut back on tech-time and replace it with some wellbeing wonders?
You might be surprised by how much you can achieve in just short time-pockets.
“For those willing to get sweaty and breathless and workout at a tougher level, potentially just 15 minutes of exercise four times a week can deliver the same great health protective effects than long sessions,” says personaly trainer, Rob Jones.
Also, according to research recently published in Organisational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes, late night smartphone, tablet, computer and TV use, interferes with our sleep and productivity the following day.
The devices emit a blue light which disturbs the way the brain processes the hormone, melatonin, which induces relaxation and sleep.
“Getting less than seven hours’ sleep a night is below the recommended guidelines and is associated with a range of problems,” warns psychologist Richard Wiseman.
”In the long run, this can include an increased risk of weight gain, heart attacks, diabetes and certain types of cancer.
So even if you can’t bear to tear yourself away from the screen completely, at least try and free up an hour – or just 15 minutes – a day, and you’ll soon realise the benefits of logging off.