The best daily ratio of sitting, standing, sleeping and moving time is revealed! Follow this to stay healthier

Everyone knows the principles of "combining work and rest" and "standing for a while and moving after sitting for a long time". In our 24 hours a day, the time allocation for daily behaviors such as sitting, standing, sleeping and moving actually has a great impact on our health. However, the time in a day is fixed, and increasing or decreasing the time of a certain activity means that the time of other activities will also increase or decrease accordingly.

How can we best allocate time for these four behaviors to maximize health benefits? A new study provides us with a useful reference.

24-hour health distribution plan

Recently, researchers from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and other institutions analyzed data from the Maastricht Study in the Netherlands. The study included 2,388 participants aged 40 to 75, of whom 48.7% were women and the average age was 60.1 years. By having the participants wear accelerometers throughout the day for seven consecutive days, the research team recorded in detail the time they spent sitting, standing, doing various levels of physical activity, and sleeping each day.

24-hour health distribution plan (Source: Document 1)

According to the survey, researchers determined the optimal time ratio for sitting, standing, sleeping and activities every day: 8.3 hours of sleep, 5.2 hours of standing, 6 hours of sitting, and 2.2 hours of light and medium to high intensity activities. Such a schedule may have a positive effect on heart health, reducing visceral fat, improving sugar metabolism, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure and blood lipids. However, some studies are still preliminary, and the effective sample size is relatively small, so the research results are for reference only.

Coincidentally, a study last year also supported similar results. The average age of the sample population in the study was 53.7 years old, of which 54.7% were women. They slept an average of 7.7 hours a day, sat for 10.4 hours, stood for 3.1 hours, exercised lightly for 1.5 hours, and exercised moderately to vigorously for 1.3 hours.

The relationship between daily activity, blood sugar levels and heart health (Source document 2)

Studies have found that people who increase the proportion of time spent on moderate and high-intensity exercise and reduce sedentary time are in better health. Reallocating time spent sitting, standing, light exercise or sleeping to moderate to high-intensity exercise can significantly improve health indicators. For example, converting 30 minutes of sitting, sleeping, standing or light exercise time to moderate to high-intensity exercise can reduce body mass index (kg/m², or BMI) by 0.63, 0.48, 0.43 and 0.15, respectively. Standing for longer periods of time is good for health, while replacing moderate to high-intensity exercise with sleep time may be counterproductive, and replacing sedentary time is more beneficial.

Through these research results, we can not only better understand the impact of various daily activities on health, but also adjust our daily behaviors accordingly in order to achieve better health results.

If you want a thinner waist , how should you arrange your daily time?

To explore the relationship between daily behaviors and health indicators, the researchers collected basic health information and lifestyle data from the participants.

They measured health markers such as waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure, and calculated the insulin sensitivity index and cardiometabolic risk (CMR) score.

The results of the study revealed the association between the levels of optimal health markers and daily behavior patterns. The researchers paid special attention to individuals with the best health indicators (the top 5%) and analyzed their time allocation for different activities. Specifically, the optimal activity time allocation for different health indicators is as follows:

The group with the healthiest waistlines: sat 6.3 hours a day, stood 6.6 hours, engaged in light-intensity activity 1.2 hours, engaged in moderate to vigorous-intensity activity 2 hours, and slept 7.7 hours.

The group with the healthiest fasting blood sugar: sat 6.7 hours per day, stood 6.5 hours, performed light-intensity activities for 2.2 hours, performed moderate-to-vigorous activities for 0.8 hours, and slept 7.5 hours.

The group with the healthiest blood sugar levels 2 hours after a meal: sat for 7 hours, stood for 3.5 hours, performed low-intensity activities for 2.3 hours, performed moderate to high-intensity activities for 1.3 hours, and slept for 9.3 hours per day.

The group with the healthiest A1C levels sat for 7.8 hours, stood for 2.5 hours, engaged in light-intensity activity for 2 hours, engaged in moderate-to-vigorous activity for 1.8 hours, and slept for 9.7 hours per day.

The group with the highest insulin sensitivity index: sat 7.2 hours per day, stood 6.2 hours, engaged in light-intensity activity 1.8 hours, engaged in moderate to vigorous-intensity activity 2 hours, and slept 6.8 hours.

Those with the lowest cardiometabolic risk scores spent 6.2 hours sitting, 6.2 hours standing, 1.7 hours doing light intensity activity, 2 hours doing moderate to vigorous intensity activity, and 7.7 hours sleeping per day.

These data provide us with a reference for how to optimize our health through the proper arrangement of daily activities. By adjusting the amount of time we sit, stand, move and sleep each day, we may have a significant positive impact on our health.

Moderate to vigorous intensity activity has many benefits

Moderate to high intensity activities have significant benefits for physical and mental health. These activities include brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling and mountain climbing. First of all, these activities can enhance cardiovascular health, improve heart and lung function, and reduce the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. In addition, they help with weight management, reduce fat accumulation by burning calories, and maintain a healthy weight and body fat ratio. They can also enhance muscle strength and bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

Moderate to vigorous intensity activity has significant benefits for physical and mental health (Source: AI generated by the author)

In addition to physical health, moderate to high intensity activities are also very helpful for mental health. Through these activities, stress and anxiety can be reduced, mental resilience can be improved, mood can be improved, and happiness can be enhanced. At the same time, moderate exercise can help improve sleep quality, promote faster falling asleep and deep sleep. Studies have also shown that regular moderate to high intensity activities can improve cognitive function and memory, and delay age-related cognitive decline.

Moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity can also increase social opportunities and quality of life. Participating in team sports or group activities can strengthen social networks and increase opportunities for social interaction. Overall, these activities can significantly improve quality of life and increase ability and independence in daily activities. In the long term, regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity activity is associated with longer life expectancy and a reduced risk of several chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults perform at least 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75-150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination of the two, per week. By adhering to these activities, not only can physical health be improved, but mental health and quality of life can also be significantly improved.

summary

The optimal daily ratio of sitting, standing, sleeping and moving that scientists have studied provides us with valuable references. However, it is not enough to just understand these theoretical data. The real key lies in whether we can put them into practice. Only by actually doing proper exercise can we truly improve our health and enjoy a healthier and more active life.

References

[1]Brakenridge, Christian J., et al. "Associations of 24 h time-use compositions of sitting, standing, physical activity and sleeping with optimal cardiometabolic risk and glycaemic control: The Maastricht Study." Diabetologia (2024): 1-12.

[2]Blodgett, Joanna M., et al. "Device-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health: the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium." European Heart Journal 45.6 (2024): 458-471.

Planning and production

Author: Denovo, PhD in Analytical Chemistry

Review丨Zhang Yu, researcher/PhD, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, national health science expert

Planning丨Ding Zong

Editor: Ding Zong

Proofread by Xu Lai and Lin Lin