Professor: the longer we stay inactive, the less we want to move later
An associate professor at Riga Stradiņš University explains why physical activity should be started even when there's no desire to do it, since forcing yourself pays off over time.
Dace Reihmane, an associate professor at Riga Stradiņš University (RSU) and doctor of biological sciences, explained on Latvian Radio's programme "Kā labāk dzīvot" how people can maintain physical activity over the long term.
According to her, the main advice is simple but not easy to follow — people need to force themselves to move even when they don't feel like it at all. Reihmane noted that this kind of self-discipline is rewarded: the body releases hormones and dopamine in response, which in turn increases the desire to engage in physical activity again afterward.
Inactivity creates a vicious cycle
The professor also pointed to the opposite mechanism — the longer a person allows themselves not to move, the less desire they will have to do anything later. Inactivity therefore reinforces itself, creating a vicious cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to break.
Reihmane's remarks suggest that the hardest step in starting physical activity is often the very first one — overcoming initial resistance, after which the body's biochemical response helps sustain motivation going forward.
