Just Three Minutes of Exercise Can Help You Live Longer—Here's Why
And how to get started.
There’s no denying that exercise is a core component of healthy living. It reduces the risk of disease, boosts mood, increases energy, and according to recent research, it can add years to your life.
In a new study, researchers examined the effects of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) on non-exercisers who cannot participate in vigorous physical activity (VPA). Results showed that participating in more VILPA for three minutes or more per day led to a decreased mortality risk.
“This study perfectly highlights that it's not the severity of the physical activities that actually make long-term impacts on health but the consistency of doing them,” says Christine Kingsley, health and wellness director of the Lung Institute and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). “Consistent exercise, despite its short duration, better stimulates the body’s increase in metabolic rate. This means the conversion of ingested food into energy is working efficiently, preventing the build-up of fat which then lowers the risk of developing fatty liver, tissues, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and other comorbidities that significantly cuts short one's lifespan.”
This is perfect for older adults whose physical capabilities are more limited—three-minute daily exercises also help keep them active which keeps joint and bone issues at bay, as well as effectively stimulating the brain to maintain good cognitive functions, Kingsley adds.
How Exercise Can Help You Live Longer
Caught up with work, family, and other obligations, many people may feel like they don’t have time for traditional exercise like going to the gym, riding a bike or going for a run. Short bursts of activity at work may include fast walking from the parking garage or taking the stairs. Fast walking at the mall or at the grocery store is another example, Dr. Majid Basit, MD, a cardiologist at Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, explains.
According to the study, short intensive exercise for only a few minutes a day has very similar health benefits to longer-duration exercise. When we exercise vigorously even for just one to two minutes, we are causing our bodies to change in a positive way. These types of changes include a stronger heart and lungs.
Our bodies talk to us constantly through symptoms like shortness of breath, dizziness or chest pain. People with these concerning symptoms will likely visit their doctor or visit the emergency room, which may lead to the diagnosis of conditions such as heart disease, heart failure or lung disease, Dr. Basit adds. This early diagnosis and treatment may be why people who exercised in this study were less likely to die.
A decrease in cancer death could also result from early detection. People that are proactive about their health are more likely to get screening studies like pap smears, mammograms, routine labs and colonoscopies, Dr. Basit states.
Related: 25 Facts About Cancer That Could Help You Save a Life
“Exercising engages the body in physical activities that let the body’s internal functions do their jobs at their maximum efficiency,” says Kingsley. “It strengthens both the physical and mental aspects of an individual’s general health. Not to mention, committing to regular exercise even for just three minutes improves blood circulation and ensures proper organ functioning. It prevents the body from any chronic illnesses because the movements allow organs to work properly.”
If a body is stagnant all the time, the tendency of having different diseases is high because it does not release the toxins resulting in high blood pressure, high sugar levels and excess body fat, Kingsley adds.
How to Incorporate Exercise Into Your Daily Routine
Everyone's exercise capacity is different.
“I have patients in their 90s who run three miles a day and hardly break a sweat,” says Dr. Basit. “My general recommendation is to start slowly at first especially if you have not exercised recently. Keep increasing the intensity and duration of exercise on a regular basis. Exercise needs to be easy.”
Related: Need More Motivation to Exercise? Here Are 6 Mental Benefits
For example, fast walking is great exercise. Walking with a friend or family member makes it more enjoyable and creates a bit of healthy peer pressure. You can also include a reward. It can be highly motivating when there is a reward such as movie tickets or a spa treatment.
Exercise should not be painful or boring. Boxing, canoeing, hiking and surfing are just some of the many activities that count as exercise, Dr. Basit explains. With the popularity of wearable devices that measure activity, heart rate and even heart rhythm, we have the power to transform our health. The next time you visit your doctor, you should be able to enthusiastically say that you exercise regularly. This opens the door to a longer and healthier life.
Next up: Don’t Have Time to Work Out? Why ‘Exercise Snacking’ Could Be an Easy Solution
Sources
Nature Medicine: “Association of wearable device-measured vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity with mortality”
Dr. Majid Basit, cardiologist, Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas
Christine Kingsley, health and wellness director of the Lung Institute and advanced practice registered nurse (APRN)
