What’s The Perfect Amount Of Exercise For A Longer Life?
When it comes to exercise, less is not more — but more is not more, either. According to new research published in JAMA Internal Medicine, there’s a sweet spot for exercising just enough for a long life. (Photo: Getty Images)
It’s probably no surprise to you that exercise is good for your body and well-being. For some time, though, the question has been: how much is best? Current guidelines suggest 150 minutes of moderate-intensity workouts per week for optimal health. Two new studies have popped up this month examining the effects of physical activity on lifespan, placing that number under the microscope.
The first and largest study from the National Cancer Institute and Harvard University rounded up exercise data from 661,000 middle-aged adults through surveys. Researchers placed the amount of exercise along a spectrum, from those who were virtually sedentary to those who exercised in excess of 25 hours a week.
Those who didn’t workout were at highest risk of death. Those who exercised lightly, but below current recommendations, dropped their risk of an early demise by 20 percent over the 14-year study period, when compared to non-exercisers. The rule-followers who hit the 150-minute mark exactly saw a 31 percent reduced risk of death.
Related: The Exercise Every Runner Must Do
Remember 150 minutes is a benchmark. Experts suggest you should work out at least that much every week, but the researchers in this study found that the group that reduced their risk of premature death most actually worked out more than that. Those who did 450 minutes of moderate exercise per week (slightly more than one hour a day, and primarily walking workouts) decreased their mortality by 39 percent.
Anything more than 450 minutes, and there was no effect. Those who exercised a whopping 10 times more than the recommended 150 minutes? They saw the same mortality reduction as those who simply met the guidelines – which may prove disheartening for big exercisers.
The other JAMA study of 200,000 Australian men and women kept pretty in line with the first. They examined how much each person exercised, along with how vigorous the intensity was – think competitive sports over friendly games, or going for a run versus going for a walk.
These researchers, like the others, discovered that 150 minutes of moderate workouts was vital for reducing the risk of an early demise. However, they also saw that those who oriented themselves toward vigorous exercise for 30 percent of their weekly total saw a nine percent protective jump in mortality risk versus moderate exercisers and a 13 percent jump when compared to non-exercisers.
Related: That The Muscle Fiber Test To Find Out What You’re Made Of
The intensity of exercise has been called into question a lot, but these new findings are in line with past research: there’s a not-too-much, not-too-little sweet spot for exercise; upping your workout regimen just a bit may be helpful, and even walking is a solid workout.
A couple cases of note? A 2014 study found that running just 30 minutes a week can reduce risk of death and provide some protective benefits — that’s a measly five minute a day — and runners tended to live three years longer than non-runners. Another study from early 2015 showed that even walking is an effective workout; 20 minutes of this moderate form of movement can bump your longevity by 30 percent.
(Video: Fox News)
The moral of the story? Move. Ideally, you should feel like you got a workout in – but you don’t have to feel like you’ve killed yourself to obtain some pretty significant benefits.
Let’s keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Health on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Have a personal health story to share? We want to hear it. Tell us at YHTrueStories@yahoo.com.
