Fitbit has conducted a survey of human activity around the world during the pandemic. Data collected by the brand during the first lockdown of most countries in March 2020 showed that the daily step count fell in some regions of the world by 38%. This was the result of restrictions due to the pandemic. However, reducing the number of steps did not make our desire to be active diminished. For Poles, the most difficult thing during the first lockdown was the inability to use facilities such as gyms, restaurants, cinemas, theaters – on a scale from 1 to 10 has rated this issue 5.9. Every 8th Pole admitted that he started exercising during the quarantine. It follows that the activity of Poles does not differ from global trends and despite the limitations we mobilized to move.

According to an activity survey conducted by the Fitbit brand, despite the pandemic, our activity is not decreasing. What’s more, every eighth Pole even started practicing in the privacy of his own four angles.

Wearable devices are currently both assistant coaches and a calendar monitoring our activity and level achieving the recommended pro-health goals. Including thanks to them, Fitbit was able to collect data on what our activity looks like during a pandemic.

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Not only is the number of steps falling worldwide, but also the number of Active Minutes, which has decreased in each age group compared to last year. On the contrary, the opposite is true with the intensity of Active Minutes, which is the time spent in higher heart rate zones while exercising. It was found that training intensity had increased since the beginning of the pandemic, except for men aged from 18 up to 49 years. This is evidenced by the surprising increase in cardiovascular activities that do not require a gym, such as kickboxing, skipping rope and roller skating. For all age groups, kickboxing exercises increased by an average of 38, 8 percent. For Fitbit users aged 18 – 29 years, the popularity of both roller skates and yoga has increased almost threefold compared to the same period last year. The time spent cycling has also increased globally. Taking this type of activity allows you to exercise in higher heart rate zones – fat burn, cardio, or peak zones.

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Training intensity has increased as we exercise more indoors or out and exercise for short periods of cardio activity with higher average and peak heart rates. From a medical point of view, regular exercise is good for your health. It reduces the risk and aggravation of diseases such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes, lipid disorders, coronary artery disease and heart failure, which are also factors in the negative course of COVID – 19. Moreover, regular physical activity supports the immune system and reduces the inflammatory reaction. It is true that this does not protect us against the infection itself, against which we should protect ourselves by following the recommended methods, but it reduces its symptoms and increases the chance of a mild course. Especially moderate training is recommended for the general population, and in healthy people – also intensive training, which allows to shorten the training time while maintaining the same pro-health benefits . – says Dr. Łukasz Małek, cardiologist and sports cardiologist, Head of the Sports Cardiology Clinic at the Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw.

Soothe nerves in a pandemic

Most of the activities that have grown in popularity or remained at the same level of frequency of taking are those that are usually associated with stress reduction. It is already known that high-intensity exercise reduces chemical stress – whether or not it stimulates the endorphin levels in the brain in the so-called “Runner’s euphoria”, or they reduce stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Likewise, awareness exercises like meditation, yoga, and pilates help stimulate serotonin and endorphins while reducing the same stress hormones. The Fitbit research team found that during the COVID pandemic – 19, stress-reducing activities such as meditation and yoga was taken more frequently. The number of meditations undertaken has seen an average increase of as much as 2900% for all age groups among Fitbit users worldwide.

The key trends in the world are:

• The number is increasing relaxing activities that do not require access to gyms, such as meditation, yoga, pilates, jogging or walking.For example, the number of meditations has increased by 2900% worldwide.
• Active Count Minutes are dropping around the world – a drop compared to the June survey, when the pandemic restrictions began to be lifted and people returned to activity. Back then, research showed that the number of Active Minutes increased.

Although Active Minutes have been declining since June, Fitbit users are exercising at greater intensity with activities such as running, kickboxing, skipping rope and roller skating.

• Step count is dropping worldwide.
• Sleep time is increasing – especially in Latin America.

Source: Fitbit