Polar Electro announced the release of its “2023: Reflected” report, revealing global activity, sports, and sleep trends. With walking emerging as the second most tracked activity globally, this year’s findings confirm the commitment to moderate-intensity physical activity to stay active and nurture personal wellness.
Walking makes up nearly 16 percent of all tracked workouts by Polar users. On average, users in all age groups log 4.4 kilometers per walk in 65 minutes, and people reached well the pace and amount needed to gain health benefits by walking. Those figures matched the pace and cadence suggested by a review of walking studies published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The researchers found brisk walking required a pace of about 4.3 kilometers per hour.
“Embracing the vitality of moderate intensity physical activity is not just a step towards a healthier body—it’s a stride towards happier lives,” said Dr. Raija Laukkanen from the Polar Research Center. “Anyone pursuing an active lifestyle will discover motivation and guidance on Polar watches and through our smart coaching features, such as the Walking Test and the Running Performance Test, designed to cater to all fitness levels.”
With a growing awareness of the relationship between physical activity and quality sleep, people everywhere also pay attention to their sleep. More people are wearing their watches at night for insights into their health and wellness. “2023: Reflected” reveals that Polar users are getting the recommended amount of sleep, waking up at 7:02 am and going to bed at 11:32 pm. Adequate sleep duration contributes to a positive sleep score of 73 out of 100. In addition to duration, Polar’s sleep score analyzes key sleep metrics and considers other critical components, including interruptions, continuity, and restorative sleep stages.
In 2023, running continued to be the most popular sport, and according to this year’s data, running made up 19.22 percent of all tracked workouts by Polar users. Tracked runners did 7.8 km, roughly the same as running across Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge to the middle of Central Park. For those who really went the distance in 2023, the average marathon time was 4 hours and 10 minutes.
“2023: Reflected” is based on anonymized data from millions of Polar users worldwide and provides a benchmark that allows users to compare their workout, activity, and sleep data to different trends in their country and globally. All Polar users can look back at their yearly stats on their Polar Flow account.
Key findings from “2023: Reflected” report can be viewed here.
