These days, we all feel strapped for time. And not having enough hours in the day seems like a good enough excuse for skipping a training run or two, right? Well, what if it turned out that you probably have more time to prioritize exercise than you think? According to new research published in Preventing Chronic Disease, Americans do.

Researchers asked over 32,000 Americans to disclose how they spent a 24-hour period to determine free time, which was defined as any discretionary time a person had during their day not taken up by responsibilities such as caring for family members or self-care.

On average, people reported having more than 300 minutes (over five hours) of free time per day. Of that free time, most of it was spent as screen time. Men spent an average of 211 minutes (over three and a half hours) of their free time looking at screens, while women spent 175 minutes (almost three hours).

The rest of it, unfortunately, was not spent exercising. The researchers found that men reported they spent an average of just 24 minutes and women only spent 14 minutes sweating per day. However, these estimates are not precise and may not reflect pure moderate to vigorous physical activity, study author Deborah Cohen, M.D., M.P.H. at RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California, told Runners World.

The results highlight the large amount of time Americans spend with electronic media, which is replacing time they could spend engaging in other pursuits like physical activity that produce better health outcomes, Cohen said.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week and spend less time sitting to combat a slew of health problems including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Recent research also found that everything from walking your dog to taking a few laps up and down your hallway (maybe on a commercial break) can all contribute to your daily requirement.

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If youre thinking these free time estimates are crazy, and you dont possibly fall into the five-hour free time category, this research also showed that no group reported having less than four and a half hours (270 minutes) of free time per day. This research shows that a lack of free time is not to blame for low levels of exercise among Americans.

Its tough to compete with electronic media, but we need to start, or Americans health will likely decline, said Cohen. The media should acknowledge its role in promoting sedentary behavior and take some steps to mitigate the associated harms.

If youve really been feeling attached to screens lately, try moving your Netflix binge of The Office to the treadmill, or performing a bodyweight workout in your living room during your favorite Disney+ show. Most phones and apps (looking at you, Instagram) also have screen time limits you can set and reports you can look at in order to better manage your own time in front of the screens.

See the article here:
Americans Have 300 Minutes of Daily Free Time But Spend Less Than 30 Exercising - Runner's World