Boosting daily activity to improve sleep and health

Many people feel tired, sleep badly or wake up sluggish even after seven to eight hours in bed. Onlinekhabar says long hours of sitting, too much time on phones and other screens, little physical activity and stress can all play a part, and that a noisy room, an uncomfortable bed, an irregular bedtime and caffeine before sleep can spoil sleep quality even when the hours are enough. Farak Dhar likewise lists stress, worry, an irregular routine, phone use at night and too much tea or coffee among the causes of poor sleep, and says going to bed and getting up at the same time every day helps keep the body's biological clock regular.

Rethinking physical activity

While formal exercise is beneficial, BBC News Nepali and Onlinekhabar both describe "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" (NEAT): the energy the body spends on movement that is not sleeping, eating or planned exercise. According to Ananta Narayanan, a researcher at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, this includes fidgeting in a chair, washing dishes, changing posture, rolling the shoulders, or flexing and straightening the legs. The reports say such incidental movement may help the body burn more calories and lower the risk of heart and blood-vessel disease and of early death.

A large 2024 study analysed data from more than 22,000 people in the United Kingdom who wore devices that recorded their daily movement and who did not exercise regularly. They were followed for eight years. The researchers found that about four minutes a day of short, incidental bursts of activity could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease that comes with long periods of sitting, and that more incidental activity reduced the health risks of sitting for more than 11 hours a day.

Narayanan says the leg muscles stay fairly inactive during long sitting, which cuts the regular muscle contractions that help clear glucose from the blood and keep circulation healthy. A recent study found that fidgeting keeps the muscles more active and burns more calories than sitting still, and Narayanan said earlier research suggested it may help blood vessels work properly and keep blood sugar in check. One small study found that people who fidgeted used about 16% more energy than those who sat still.

Practical lifestyle adjustments

Both reports offer everyday examples. Professor Amanda Daley of Loughborough University in the United Kingdom suggests adding a small movement to something you already do, such as rising onto the balls of the feet while brushing your teeth, lifting the legs under a desk, or walking while talking on the phone. At her home, online orders are sent to a nearby locker rather than the door, so someone has to go and collect them. The reports also suggest walking a little faster than usual, parking farther from the shop, and carrying a basket instead of pushing a shopping trolley, which they say works the muscles without you noticing.

According to BBC News Nepali, in one study Daley and her colleagues gave doctors desks they could stand at, and their sitting time fell by about two hours a day.

Tiredness and when to see a doctor

Farak Dhar says anyone who stays tired despite enough sleep, or whose sleep problem lasts for months or affects daily life, should consult a doctor, and adds that morning tiredness is not always a sign of serious illness. Onlinekhabar says tiredness can also be a sign that something in the body is amiss, and advises getting tests on a doctor's advice if there are risk factors or other symptoms.

For sleep itself, Farak Dhar advises keeping away from phones, television and computers for 30 minutes to an hour before bed, and says meditation or deep breathing may ease stress. Onlinekhabar advises staying off screens for an hour before sleep and an hour after waking, and says regular exercise and yoga can help sleep quality.