Experts have highlighted that regular physical activity could be the secret to a longer lifespan, pinpointing five activities that may prolong life expectancy by up to 11 years.
Researchers from Australia have discovered that an activity as straightforward as a one-hour stroll every day can add a remarkable six hours to your lifespan each instance. Moreover, individuals over 40 could potentially add approximately five years to their lives if they maintain an active routine of 50 minutes per day.
The findings, collated by researcher Lennert Veerman and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, indicate that those engaging in 160 minutes of daily exercise face a 73 percent lower risk of early death. Veerman arrived at these conclusions after equipping 35,000 participants with hip-mounted activity trackers.
Veerman points out that “any type of exercise” counts, but he notes the “biggest benefits” can be reaped from activities equalling three hours of walking per day. UK health guidelines currently recommend around 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense physical activity each week.
The guidance suggests spreading this across four or five days, according to The Times. Additionally, incorporating strength training on two days a week further contributes to maintaining overall health, reports Surrey Live.
Veerman remarked: “Physical activity, not just hard exercise, lowers blood pressure, which reduces risks of heart disease and stroke and other cardiovascular disease. It can reduce stress levels, which may improve immune responses, and it improves mood, which may prevent suicide and coping with the use of alcohol and other drugs, which have knock-on effects on health behaviours.”
Veerman highlights that there’s no need for intense gym sessions or running marathons to increase activity levels. He points out that simply moving more during the day can be “enormously powerful” and is “vastly underestimated”.
His colleague, Emmanuel Stamatakis, professor of physical activity, lifestyle and population health at the University of Sydney, outlines five key actions that can help lower the risk of premature death. These include engaging in vigorous activity for 60-120 seconds and doing this three to four times a day; always choosing stairs over elevators; starting activities slowly and building up; walking briskly for a minimum of 10 minutes each day; and cycling for about an hour weekly.
Stamatakis advises incorporating more “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity”, including short sprints for public transport, energetic stair use or fast-paced walking in bursts of 20-30 seconds during a ten-minute walk. He explained: “Doing 60-120 seconds bursts of Vilpa for a total of 4.4 minutes a day had a dramatic effect on health outcomes.”
However, academics have discovered that jumping directly into activity from a sedentary lifestyle can also present its own problems. Veerman advises starting slowly and gradually increasing over time.