Study finds a "hierarchy" of physical activities healthier than sitting - sleeping is one

Moderate-vigorous activity and even lighter intensity, like sleeping, benefit the heart.

Sitting isn’t good for you. That’s abundantly clear from studies linking prolonged sedentary behavior — from working at a desk to Netflix binging on the couch — with a wide range of medical conditions from Type 2 diabetes to heart disease and even premature death.

But studies also show if you’ve racked up too many hours glued to one place, all is not lost. For instance, engaging in exercise “snacks” (aka micro-burts of physical activity) for a least five minutes every 30 minutes or so does your metabolism, heart, and mind good.

Now, according to a study published last week in the European Heart Journal, any sort of physical activity, including sleeping, is better than being flat on your tuchus. Examining data from six studies encompassing over 15,000 people across five countries, the researchers looked at which kinds of movement within a typical 24-hour day conferred the most heart health benefits. Unsurprisingly, moderate-vigorous physical activity came out on top, followed by light activity, which included standing and sleeping. READ MORE FROM INVERSE