Improving your health through physical activity

Adopting a physically active lifestyle, whatever your age, is a good way to improve your quality of life and prevent numerous health problems.

Incorporating more movement into your daily life can be done in many ways depending on your needs, preferences, motivation and abilities. There is a wide variety of physical activities that can vary in frequency, duration and intensity while providing benefits. It is also important to break up long periods of sitting regularly to reduce sedentary time.

Take advantage of every opportunity to move more.

Moving regularly helps:

• improve your mental health and well‑being, reduce stress and sleep better;
• increase your concentration and improve your cognitive health;
• prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease;
• strengthen your immune system and prevent or reduce the risk of complications associated with certain infections;
• strengthen your bones and improve your balance to reduce the risk of falls and fractures, while relieving the symptoms of arthritis;
• you stay independent, in your home, for longer.

Choose activities that suit you and try to incorporate them into your routine: active or collective transportation, recreational sports, household chores, outdoor activities. These activities can be simple and will require less and less planning over time.

The important thing is to move every day, at your own pace and based on what you enjoy doing.

Replace sedentary moments with moments where you are active, even a little. For example:

• take the stairs instead of the elevator;
• stand up often if you work on a screen;
• stretch while watching TV;
• take the bus or bike instead of the car.

It will be easier to increase your level of physical activity if movement is part of your daily activities. Using active transportation, even part of the way, can be a good way to move more if you have a busy schedule.

Children are influenced by the people around them. The family sets an example by:

• encouraging them to move every day, in different ways;
• being active or reducing their sedentary behaviours;
• promoting active and collective transportation from an early age;
• providing sports equipment at home;
• doing active activities (biking, going to the park, playing soccer in the neighbourhood, hiking, etc.);
• adapting activities according to the seasons.

The physical activity you do now is just as important for your health as what you did or could have done years ago. Moving, even a little, improves health and well‑being quickly.

You can start or resume physical activity at any age. If you have doubts or limitations, a health professional can help you.

All types of movement count. Here are some ideas to get you moving more:

• Spend time in nature: walking regularly in a park or on a trail improves physical, mental and cognitive health.
• Get involved: volunteering can be a way to be physically active (e.g., picking up the grandchildren on foot, becoming a leader of a walking bus, gardening).
• Work out at home: you can be more active at home; put some music on and dance, rake leaves, shovel snow or clean your living space. Stretch while watching TV or listening to a podcast.
• Do a sports activity: think about sports you have always been interested in or discover a new activity (e.g., walking, hiking, pickleball, tai chi).

Viactive: adapted group classes to improve strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance and agility using adapted and safe exercise routines.

The Integrated Dynamic Balance Program (Programme intégré d’équilibre dynamique - PIED): a program for independent adults aged 65 and over living at home who are worried about their balance or who are afraid of falling. It improves balance, coordination, strength and reaction time, in addition to increasing your confidence in your abilities.

You can assess your risk of falls by completing this questionnaire, which will allow you to take preventive action.

In addition to improving health, group classes help break isolation and encourage social interaction. They are offered free or at a minimal cost by the health and social services network. To register, contact the CISSS or the CIUSSS in your area.

Explore resources, tools and programs designed to help you have a more active lifestyle.

Search for “Viactive” or “PIED” in the search engine of your CISSS or CIUSSS website or call the numbers indicated to find out more:

Depending on the season, it might be a good idea to find out about special weather conditions: