How Much You Should Sit, Stand, Walk, and Sleep for Optimal Health

A recent study found that for optimal health, you will need to spend four hours every day engaging in some degree of physical activity.

Researchers at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia analyzed the behavior of 2,000 people over a 24-hour period to determine the right combination of exertion and relaxation for optimal health.

The ideal breakdown was approximately: eight hours of sleep, five hours of standing, six hours of sitting and four hours divided between light and moderate physical activity.

This breakdown contributed to maintaining optimal glycemic control and promoted heart health.

Moderate to vigorous physical activity can include brisk walking or cycling, running, jumping, and aerobic dancing, while light physical activity can mean anything from walking to cooking and doing household chores to laughing out loud.

The sleeping pattern

Swinburne’s team recommends that people get eight hours and 20 minutes of sleep to support their overall health, while increasingly large volumes of sleep should be avoided.

This research reflects the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends that people sleep at least seven hours a night. Although the dangers of sleep deprivation are well documented, sleeping more than nine hours a night has been linked to an increased risk of stroke.

The researchers noted: “Less time sitting and more time standing, engaging in physical activity, and sleeping are associated with preferable cardiometabolic health. This attitude encompasses a wide range of health markers and converges on the 24 hours associated with optimal overall health.”