For those who find traditional exercise unappealing or struggle to find time for it, a new study offers an encouraging alternative: increasing the intensity of everyday activities could enhance health and extend life. The study, published in Circulation, reveals that by simply incorporating brisk movements into routine tasks like cleaning or climbing stairs, individuals can achieve some of the health benefits typically associated with exercise.
The research tracked the daily activities of over 20,000 adults for a week, revealing that while none of the participants engaged in structured exercise, those who moved more briskly—whether by choosing stairs over escalators or speeding up their cleaning—experienced notable health benefits. Even brief bursts of brisk movement, totaling less than five minutes a day, were linked to a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor at the University of Sydney and the study’s lead author, emphasized the simplicity of the approach: “It’s about finding ways to add exertion to your daily life, without needing to commit to formal exercise.”
Rethinking Exercise
This study contributes to a growing body of research exploring how non-exercise physical activity can benefit health. Stamatakis, who has previously analyzed extensive data from the UK Biobank, has focused on identifying whether individuals can remain healthy without engaging in traditional exercise routines. His earlier work indicated that those who engaged in vigorous activities—such as running for a bus or quickly ascending stairs—had lower rates of serious diseases and lived longer lives, even if they did not follow an organized exercise regimen.
However, Stamatakis acknowledged that terms like “vigorous” might discourage people. In this latest study, the team shifted focus to gentler forms of movement, aiming to determine whether modest daily activities could also yield positive results.
Short Bursts of Movement Yield Significant Benefits
The researchers classified activities into light, moderate, and vigorous categories based on intensity. Light activities, such as casual walks, don’t raise the heart rate much, while moderate movements leave individuals slightly breathless, and vigorous activities leave one struggling to speak without gasping for air.
The study found that light daily activities—like walking to the store or engaging in brief errands—could reduce the risk of cardiovascular issues, but they required more than two hours per day to show notable effects. In contrast, just 24 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each day cut the risk of heart disease by up to 50%. Even more striking were the benefits of vigorous movements: just five minutes a day of rapid walking or intense movement significantly lowered the risk of heart-related deaths by almost 40%.
Practical Tips for Everyday Health
From a practical standpoint, Stamatakis suggests looking for simple ways to boost the intensity of daily tasks. “Climbing stairs at a brisk pace counts as moderate activity, while rushing up them qualifies as vigorous,” he explained. Activities like “sprint walking”—walking with speed and swinging your arms—also fit into the moderate category. Even gardening or vacuuming with added intensity can contribute to better health.
Though the study’s findings are promising, there are some limitations. The research primarily involved well-educated, White participants from the UK, which may limit the broader applicability of the results. Moreover, those who engage in slower-paced chores may have underlying health issues, which could also affect their heart risk. However, the researchers excluded participants who developed heart problems in the first year of the study, which reduces this concern.
Moving Beyond Exercise
Ultimately, the study doesn’t aim to replace structured exercise but to complement it. As Stamatakis pointed out, “You can do both.” Adding moderate or vigorous movements into daily routines offers a simple, accessible way for people to improve their health, even if they do not engage in formal exercise.
Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University in Canada, praised the study for both its methodology and its findings. “Even for those who choose not to engage in traditional exercise, incorporating bursts of moderate or vigorous activity into their everyday life can lead to meaningful health improvements.”
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