​​This is the healthiest way to spend 24 hours, according to science

How does your routine compare?

Will you be inspired to make a few tweaks? Image: iStock

• In this article:

• Experts have conducted a study to determine the best way to spend 24 hours for our health

• The cardiometabolic health benefits of daily sitting, standing, sleep and exercise

• Inside the surprising findings

Confident your daily routine is optimising your health? Think again. A new study has revealed exactly how you should – and shouldn’t – be spending every 24 hours.

There’s long been contention around what lifestyle choices yield the best result for our health, from what we eat to how we move our bodies. 

Every quick-fix diet, sleep routine, workout and mindfulness activity out there claims to be the secret sauce for optimal health and long-term longevity. But does a ‘Goldilocks Day’ – a perfect way to spend 24 hours – realistically exist?

According to experts, as nice as the idea sounds, our different lifestyles, health concerns, genetics and day-to-day responsibilities render a one-size-fits-all approach pretty unsuitable. 

Instead, how each individual should spend each largely depends on what they value most.

So how much time should an average person allocate to each daily activity? A new Aussie study published in Diabetologica has uncovered some interesting findings, revealing how long activities such as standing, sleeping and sitting should be engaged for in order to best benefit our health. 

And according to the study’s hour-by-hour breakdown of activities, making (adequate) time for both movement and rest could significantly reduce your risk of cardiometabolic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and chronic kidney disease.

Hailing from Swinburne University and the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, the research consists of data from over 2,000 adults in the Netherlands, 684 of whom have type 2 diabetes.

Researchers measured each individual’s waist circumference, blood glucose levels, cholesterol, blood pressure, insulin levels and triglycerides over seven days, collecting an accurate picture of each person’s health and risk of cardiometabolic illness.

With some participants measuring in a much healthier bracket, researchers determined their daily activities were more beneficial to long-term health, compared to the participants with poor results. 

"I think people might kind of baulk at the idea of these strong quantitative guidelines, but the take-home message here is we really want people to sit less, move more and sleep for appropriate durations,"  Dr Christian Brakenridge, who led the research, tells the ABC. 

Most people's sedentary jobs aren't compatible with the recommended movement targets. Image: iStock

What does the ideal 24 hours look like?

First of all, despite the research concluding there is no one-size-fits-all approach to health, the findings suggest on average, Aussies are falling short of their recommended movement and standing targets, a side effect of our highly sedentary lifestyle.   

According to the data, an average Australian spends up to eight to ten hours each day sitting – something most desk-bound employees won’t refute. Similarly, Aussies tend to counteract this with only two hours of combined movement each day, only half of what is recommended. 

And now, that doesn’t mean you’re expected to complete a four-hour cardio session each day, but rather a cumulative total of light and moderate physical activities, such as walking and doing chores. 

But, according to Dr Dot Dumuid, a time-use epidemiologist at the University of South Australia, achieving the recommended four hours of activity is only possible for those who focus all their energy on the pursuit, “You could do it, but you'd have to give up something else," she tells the ABC. 

You daily movement is made up of more than just designated exercise. Image: iStock

Adjusting your day for your goals

As Dr Dumoid explains, a person trying to improve their heart health should follow a very daily routine to someone trying to improve their brain health, with both respective individuals prioritising different categories. 

For example, though striving for increased physical activity and movement may be ideal for someone aiming to focus on their heart health, it could result in less sleep, which for people with anxiety or depression, can be detrimental. 

Likewise, people who want to improve their cognitive function or academic performance naturally will need to spend more time sitting (either to study, work or read), subsequently limiting their ability to reach their physical activity requirements. 

"One size rarely fits all in population health," she says. “In the future, you might wake up and decide 'OK, today I want to preference my mental health, let me see what my options are.'”

Instead of striving for one perfect daily routine, researchers and experts recommend approaching each day with a fresh outlook, prioritising the health-focused activities that most align with your goals. 

Originally published as ​​This is the healthiest way to spend 24 hours, according to science