2 of Clubs - Use Stairs Instead of Elevator and Escalator
What is it?
Choose stairs over taking the elevator or escalator to boost your cardio and accumulate more physical activity into your daily living.
How to do it?
This tip is all based on a simple conscious decision to make the choice of using the stairs over taking the elevator or escalator at the office, school, mall or anywhere else you have the opportunity. It’s a small simple choice which requires a tiny amount of commitment but over time it can lead to great and positive gains.
Why do it?
The big takeaway for this tip is you want to integrate extra physical activity during the day into your lifestyle. In a study by Shah et al. 2011, found hospital staff taking the stairs rather than the elevator saved about 15 minutes during their workday. The time saving and the benefit of the increased fitness from the extra stair climbing activities should encourage individuals to take the stairs whenever possible.
What’s the science behind it?
There is plenty of science to back making the simple decision to start taking the stairs whenever possible. A brief session of low-to-moderate intensity stair walking has shown transient energizing effects that exceed a low dose of caffeine for active young women with chronic insufficient sleep (Randolph and O’Connor, 2017). Additionally, McMaster University researchers who studied heart patients found that stair-climbing routines, whether vigorous or moderate, provide significant cardiovascular and muscular benefits. (McMaster University, 2021).
Do you want to know more?
References
Barr-Anderson, D. J., AuYoung, M., Whitt-Glover, M. C., Glenn, B. A., and Yancey, A. K. (2011). Integration of short bouts of physical activity into organizational routine: A systematic review of the literature. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 40(1), 76-93.
Shah, S., O’Byrne, M., Wilson, M., and Wilson, T. (2011). Elevators or stairs? Canadian Medical Association Journal, 183(18). https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.110961
Randolph, D. D., and O’Connor, P. J. (2017). Stair walking is more energizing than low dose caffeine in sleep deprived young women. Physiology & Behavior, 174, 128–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.03.013
McMaster University. (2021, May 17). Stair climbing offers significant cardiovascular and muscular benefits for heart patients. ScienceDaily. Retrieved November 26, 2023 from https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210517102635.htm
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