Get active in the Vale of York during Rio 2016
What better way to be inspired to get active than by watching the world’s best athletes take centre stage at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The London 2012 Olympics not only gripped the nation but inspired us to get active with the number of people playing sport increasing dramatically. Of people asked in England, 52.2% who already participated in sport and 74.3% of who hadn’t participated in sport in the last 12 months said the London Olympics made them more interested in sport.
Research shows that being active can boost self-esteem, mood, sleep quality and energy, as well as reducing your risk of stress, depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr Andrew Phillips, GP Lead for Urgent Care at NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “It was fantastic to see how the last Olympics inspired so many people to get more active and we really hope Rio 2016 will reignite this passion.
“We know that being physically active either in sport or just moving more is one of the best things you can do to promote your health. It reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke as well helping to avoid chronic diseases like diabetes. Getting off the sofa and being active is free and has an immediate, positive effect.”
To stay healthy, adults should try to be active daily and aim to achieve at least 150 minutes of physical activity over a week through a variety of activities.
For most people, the easiest way to get moving is to make activity part of everyday life, like walking or cycling instead of using the car to get around. However, the more you do, the better, and taking part in activities such as sports and exercise will make you even healthier.
For any type of activity to benefit your health, you need to be moving quick enough to raise your heart rate, breathe faster and feel warmer. One way to tell if you're working hard enough is if you can still talk but you can't sing the words to a song.
Dr Andrew Phillips added: “I run regularly because I want to live a healthy and fulfilling life. As well as the numerous health benefits, I love the sense of freedom and enjoyment of our beautiful local environment that we are so blessed to have on our doorstep in North Yorkshire.
“Whatever your age, there is strong scientific evidence that being physically active can help you lead a healthier and even happier life. I would encourage the Vale of York community to follow in Team GB’s footsteps and get active during Rio 2016.”
