Minute Tip · Habits and planning
Move before you sit again
Use a natural transition in your day as a prompt to move.
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The tip
Long stretches of sitting add up. Guidelines advise adults to limit sitting and to replace it with movement of any intensity. That means even light movement counts.
So here is a simple trick. Use something you already do as a cue. When a show ends, when the kettle boils, when a call finishes, stand up and move for a minute or two.
Walk to the door and back. Do a few sit-to-stands from your chair. Reach your arms overhead. It does not have to be a workout. The goal is to break up the sitting.
Pick one moment in your day and try it today. If standing is unsafe for you or you have a condition, ask your clinician what movement is right for you.
The claim behind this tip
Strong evidence Guidelines advise adults to limit the time they spend sitting and to replace it with physical activity of any intensity.
Consistent support from authoritative guidelines for the narrow claim made here. Source-checked on . This rating is proposed, pending confirmation by a person. No clinician has reviewed this page.
Limits: Population-level advice. It does not set one exact number of sitting minutes for an individual.
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018)
- WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour, World Health Organization (2020)
Limits: Guidelines set no exact number of sitting minutes for one person. This is general advice, not a prescription. General education, not medical advice.
Try it today
Take a comfortable 10-minute walk indoors. Walk at a comfortable pace around your home, a hallway, or a shopping center, and stop when the time is up. About 10 minutes.
Go deeper
- How Much Exercise Do Adults Over 50 Need?
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- Personalize this for me One small step chosen each day from your goals, interests, and limits.