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How Much Exercise You Should Do Each Week
The World Health Organization recently updated its guidelines for physical activity and sedentary behavior. This marks the first update the WHO has made to the guidelines since 2010.
The new guidelines call for adults (ages 18–64) to do 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, or 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, per week (or some equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous exercise). Additionally, resistance training at moderate or greater intensity — involving all major muscle groups — should be done at least 2 times per week.
This equates to about 30–60 minutes of total exercise per day. That amount of activity has been shown to have a range of health benefits, including reduced risk for hypertension, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and all-cause mortality (dying from any cause). Additionally, exercise at these levels improves mental health (including anxiety and depression), brain functioning, and sleep quality.
Adults over 65 should place extra emphasis on functional balance and strength training at moderate or greater intensity at least 3 times per week, to improve overall physical functioning and bone health, as well as to prevent against falls.
Children and adolescents (ages 5–17) should be averaging 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic…
