How many hours should you sit, stand, sleep and exercise in a day for optimal cardiometabolic health and glycemic control?
To find out, an international team of researchers analysed the behaviour of 2,388 participants aged 40–75 years—48.7 per cent of them women—within a 24-hour period.
According to the findings published in the journal Diabetologia, the ideal daily balance is six hours of sitting; five hours and 10 minutes of standing; eight hours and 20 minutes of sleeping; two hours and 10 minutes of light-intensity physical activity; and two hours and 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity.
Light-intensity physical activity include daily chores and housework, while moderate-to-vigorous physical activity involves a brisk walk, jogging or gym workout. Replacing sitting time with more physical activity was associated with greater glycemic control, especially in those with type 2 diabetes.
“This breakdown encompasses a wide range of health markers and converges on the 24 hours associated with overall optimal health,” the leader of the study said.
"Moving as much as you can is always encouraged when so much of life requires us to be sitting in front of screens. Shorter sitting time and more time spent standing, undergoing physical activity and sleeping will boost our cardiometabolic health.”
