Selena Legacy
Equinox staff
610,000 individuals die each year from a cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular diseases are the main leading cause of death in America. Students might feel healthy now being a young college student but why not make the change now while you’re still young. Health the Basics by Rebecca J. Donatelle projects that by 2023, 45 percent of the population will have at least one cardiovascular problem. The recommended value of physical activity is 30 minutes a day. Students may find it hard to get all those minutes in with their busy schedule. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator can start to lower your risk. Myself included have used the elevator more than I should. I also see many students following that path. The elevator might seem quicker and less work, however it takes the same time, sometimes even less to take the stairs rather than the elevator on campus. If you were in a rush for class the elevator could have anything happen to it making it slow down your path. The stairs are quick and easy and comes with so many benefits.
VeryWell Fit in their article titled Take the Stairs to Stay Fit and Healthy
Don’t Skip the Steps explains just how much the stairs are beneficial to your daily exercise. “How much does it help to take the stairs rather than ride the escalator or elevator? Can a few more flights of stairs each day make a difference for fitness and obesity? Here are some facts on how many calories a 160-pound person burns taking the stairs: Two calories burned for one flight of 12 steps, about 0.17 calories per step climbed. Five calories per minute walking slowly upstairs. These are calories they wouldn’t burn standing on an escalator or taking an elevator. Compared to 1.6 calories per minute standing on an escalator or in an elevator, one-third of the calories expended by taking the stairs at a slow pace.” Taking stairs over an elevator by itself is not a big decision to make, but it will lead to others. Says an article titled “Stairs vs. Elevator? Make the right choice” Eventually, a little bit of effort and willpower will result in healthy lifestyle. Just think how much impact such a small change might bring to your life.
Students on campus feel as those the lack the right amount of exercise each week. With the stress, overpacked schedule, and feeling unmotivated. All these things might make you think one elevator ride won’t hurt. If you take the elevator more than the stairs each week on top of not getting enough physical activity a day for your body; your heart health will slowly decrease. The average student is in college for four years. Stair climbing is recommended by doctors and health professionals worldwide. High quality studies show that climbing just eight flights of stairs a day lowers average early mortality risk by 33 percent. Seven minutes stair climbing a day can halve the risk of heart attack over 10 years. This kind of physical activities are also associated with improved mental health. Our bodies release endorphins, the so-called “feel good hormones” when we exercise, states an article “skip the elevator, take the stairs”.
According to VeryWell Health, “stair climbing expends 8 to 9 times more energy than sitting and about 7 times more energy than taking the elevator. Climbing stairs can reduce the risk of stroke. For instance, in men who reported climbing the equivalent of 3 to 5 flights per day, there was a 29 percent reduction in their risk of stroke over the long term. stair climbing improves cardiovascular fitness—and, thus, cardiovascular health over the long term. Stair climbing strengthens muscles.”
Over the course of a year, you might lose over half a pound if your only lifestyle change was taking the stairs for a minute a day. Stairs alone can help with endurance, joint pain, and heart health overall. I encourage all of you to take the steps to improve your cardiovascular health and quit riding the elevator everyday.
Selena Legacy can be contacted at
selena.legacy@ksc.keene.edu
