Low Activity Time
Low Activity Time is the duration spent in light-intensity physical activity during the day. Light activity is typically defined as movement requiring minimal effort—activities at roughly 1.5–3 METs (metabolic equivalent of task) that involve movement but minimal elevation of breathing or heart rate. This includes slow walking, light household tasks, standing activities, and gentle movement.
Typical Adult Ranges
minutesBased on population studies. Individual needs vary by age and health status.
See where you fall
Connect your Oura Ring to compare your data
Key Takeaways
Represents duration of light-intensity physical activity.
Captures gentle movement above sedentary but below moderate intensity.
May help displace sedentary time throughout the day.
Varies by occupation, lifestyle, and daily activities.
Track your low activity time over time
Generate a free doctor-friendly report from your wearable data
How It's Measured
Oura classifies activity intensity using accelerometer data to detect movement patterns characteristic of light activity.
Common Influences
Occupation: Jobs involving standing or light movement produce more low activity time than desk work.
Deep Dive
Low Activity Time represents the duration of light physical movement. It captures time spent in activities above sedentary behavior but below moderate intensity.
A useful framing is that low activity time measures gentle movement. While sedentary time involves sitting or lying with minimal motion, light activity involves being on one's feet and moving—just at low intensity. This movement, while not exercise, represents non-sedentary waking behavior.
Light activity produces minimal elevation in heart rate and breathing but does involve muscle activation and energy expenditure above rest. Standing, slow walking, and puttering around involve continuous low-level muscular work.
Research on sedentary behavior suggests that light activity may provide benefits by breaking up prolonged sitting, even if the intensity is too low to qualify as "exercise." Light activity represents movement that interrupts stillness.