Small increases in physical activity as part of our daily lives can bring long-term benefits to our health.
Some mornings, I really struggle to go out for a jog, but I force myself because I know it will be good for me. The protective effect that exercise can have not only the body, but our brain, memory and general wellbeing is something I’ve spoken to researchers a lot about recently.
But what has also become clear is that we don’t need to be doing intense workouts to see benefits.
Increasing lifespan
The new research involved a large-scale analysis of data from 150,000 adults in the UK, US and Scandinavia.
“It was surprising that very small changes in physical activity of five minutes per day have such a large impact on reducing the risk for premature mortality,” says Ulf Ekelund, lead author of the research and a professor of physical activity and health at the Norwegian School of Sport. The findings reveal the health benefits of doing five minutes of exercise across the whole population rather than on an individual level, he says.
Adults should still strive for the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week, Ekelund says. But the study shows that those who might struggle to go to the gym or join a sports club, can still benefit from adding more movement into their lives.
Reducing inactivity was also found to be beneficial. Cutting daily sitting time by 30 minutes was linked to a 7% reduction of early death across the population. This is especially important because physical inactivity is a leading cause of chronic disease and an earlier death.
Ekelund says that consistency is key. “Start slow and gradually build up the amount,” he says. The activity should be tailored to the individual’s preferences and ability.”
Exercise snacking
The study builds on many others that show how long-term health benefits from exercise do not require us to radically change our lifestyle. Simply adding movement into our daily life can have an outsized effect.
Muscle strengthening activities have also been shown to be beneficial. One US study found that individuals in their 60s and 70s who combined aerobic exercise with muscle-strengthening activities lived longer and had a lower risk of dying compared to those who did no exercise.
Other recent work shows that “exercise snacking” – which consists of short bursts of activity spread throughout the day – can improve heart health. A large authoritative analysis of existing research found that among older adults, it also helped with muscular endurance.
Unlike a gym session, these “snacks” can be spread throughout the day as part of your normal routine. This can include anything that gets your heart rate up – be it vigorous hoovering, dancing to a song in your kitchen or running up and down your stairs faster than normal.
Benefits of habit
Research shows that people respond positively when they are made more aware of the health benefits of exercise snacking, and that it could help address barriers to exercise.
Simple prompts can make a difference. Signs encouraging people to take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator, for example, can lead to more of them to do so.
According to Amanda Daley, professor of behavioural medicine at Loughborough University in the UK, it’s these small shifts that build meaningful change over time. “We just have these unconscious ways of doing things that mean that we’re more likely to do it,” she says. “You take the stairs because that’s you’ve learned. It’s a habit.”
When it comes to how you exercise, there are numerous options. You could go rock climbing, join a dance class or try some something a little more vigorous like high-intensity interval training, which can improve blood sugar control and blood pressure, as well as reducing body fat.
I’ve certainly had sore arms when carrying food shopping home instead of taking the car. But it seems that discomfort can be worth it.
So next time you’re waiting for your pasta to boil or watching TV, perhaps include a set of squats, leg kicks or press ups. These little “exercise snacks” all add up. They are certainly “snacks” you won’t ever need to feel guilty about.
By Melissa Hogenboom
Credit: bbc.com
