“Here Comes the Sun” is one of my favorite Beatles tunes.

George Harrison expresses optimism with both words and sound in that tune and the only reason I bring it up in this article is with hope that you’ll see the bright side of all the challenging things that are going on in the world right now. Be good to each other.

The sun comes up every day. There are seven days in a week, although the Beatles may disagree with that number. And there are 168 hours within that seven day week.

I’m bringing you a different way to think about what you do with your time over the course of those days.

I have a simple concept and if you follow it, the 168 hours will not make you weak.

If you’ve read my past columns, you will certainly know that I’m an advocate of eating right and exercising.

Today, I’m going to simplify “exercise” by using the term “movement.” That is, if you are not an exerciser and have reservations about trying to fit “exercise” into your life, I simply want you to fit more “movement” into your life.

My theory is that if you move more than you don’t move over the course of that 168 hours, you are much more likely to remain moving and moving without difficulty.

It’s just math to me. If you sleep about 6 to 8 hours per day, you are left with about 16 hours. When you are employed and working, you are likely to be moving regularly for 8 of those 16 hours.

With retirement and aging, you find yourself with more time and less requirements during your days. The tendency is to use more of that time sitting, lying down, not moving your body. And when your body is not moving, science proves that you are more likely to have pain, weakness, balance problems and even overall health that suffers. You see, there is a direct relationship between how well someone can move with their overall health. In the end, if you move more, you are less likely to get sick and require medical care either by doctor visits or hospitalization or nursing home stays etc.

So, in the interest of following the acronym “Keep It Simple Stupid” or KISS, I want you to move more because I know it will make you healthier, more mobile and happier.

One of the easiest ways to do this for older folks is to get up and do something every hour. Take a long walk. Walk up your stairs one or two extra times. Stand up from your chair as many times as you can in a row.

Other ideas would be to take up activities that either require more movement or that you can implement more movement into such as gardening or cooking.

Nice weather is on the way, so get outside and move. Stay inside and move. Move it or lose it!

168 hours in a week can make you strong. Use your time wisely.

Joel J. Digris is a Schuylkill County resident with a master’s degree in physical therapy. He is currently employed by Achieva Rehabilitation as an outpatient provider of physical therapy and serves residents in Carbon, Schuylkill and Luzerne counties.

The Times News Media Group do not endorse or recommend any medical products, processes, or services or provide medical advice. The views of the author do not necessarily state or reflect those of the Times News. The article content is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.