Even just two minutes of intense exercise in the daily routine extends life – breaking latest news

Climb the stairs quickly towards home, run to the bus stop to catch the bus already parked, carry the shopping or walk quickly towards the office so as not to be late. They all are small efforts and, performed intensely and explosivelyadded to each other, help reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer. E the risk of mortality also decreases.

The benefits of involuntary physical activity

The study by the University of Sydney, published in Nature Medicine, is among the first to analyze what sports doctors have been hypothesizing for some time, and that any type of physical activity is useful, even that which is not considered training. Wearable devices can monitorinvoluntary physical activity that takes place in daily life and thus it was possible to examine the association of these activities with the onset of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The researchers used data from fitness trackers collected by UK Biobank, a large medical database with information about the health of people across the UK. Data from 25,241 non-athletes with an average age of 62 were analysed, of whom 14,178 were women and 11,063 were men. The results showed, after a control period of almost seven years, that those who have been involved in involuntary activities, even of just 1-2 minutes come climb the stairs quickly o walk quicklythey showed an almost 50% drop in the risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease it’s a about 40% reduction in the risk of death from cancer compared to those who have not taken these intense, albeit brief, shots. The data was collected from the fitness trackers that the volunteers wore and the analysis was therefore not based on questionnaires often used in research on physical exercises (but which are not objective): the researchers were actually able to measure the impact on health versus minutes of movement.

Expert commentary

The international guidelines of the main scientific societies establish 150 minutes of physical activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity as the minimum limit for adults to have health benefits and prevent the main pathologies – he explains Gianfranco Beltramivice-president of the Italian Sports Medical Federation —. A couple of years ago the WHO published the WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behavior accompanied by the slogan “Every move counts”, in which they were revised and updated recommended physical activity levels to achieve health benefits, distinguishing for both age groups both for specific population groups. The study we are talking about confirms, data in hand, the validity of the WHO guidelines, further lowering the bar and giving hope to those who are not sedentary due to laziness or lack of time, he is unable to engage in structured physical activity. Ideal for maximum benefits not only in terms of longevity but also for health better functionality of all organs and systems (first of which the brain) would be to move as much as possible every day by carrying out the normal acts of daily life with a certain intensity (for example by doing the housework quickly or climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator) and finding the time at least a couple of times a week for a scheduled and longer-lasting activity, limiting as much as possible the amount of time spent in sedentary behaviors. For those who are completely sedentary, starting to monitor all the movements of the day with wearable devices can be really very useful with the intention of exploiting every moment of the day to be more active and progressively better goals until you reach the recommended levels.

Previous

Research into the benefits of high-intensity interval training, with short, explosive, intense exercises (meaning the effort is so high that you can only speak a few words and no words after 30 seconds) has been going on for years. A 2020 study linked four-minute high-intensity exercise with longer life; another from 2019 found that climbing the stairs for 20 seconds, several times a day, improved aerobic capacity. Still others have found that repeating high-intensity exercises at four-second intervals increases strength and counteracts the sluggish metabolism caused by long periods of inactivity such as hours spent sitting at a desk in the office. Quick repetitions of vigorous exercise followed by short periods of rest can increase oxygen uptake and prevent obstruction of the arteries, Ed Coyle, a professor of kinesiology and health education at the University of Texas, told the New York Times. heart arteries, as well as boosting the heart to pump more blood and make the body function better as a whole.

Tips for every day

Even those who train regularly can reap the benefits of short intense efforts, perhaps finishing a run on foot or by bicycle with a sprint finale. Emmanuel Stamatakis, the first author of the study suggests some tricks to insert fragments of vigorous exercises into everyday life. If, for example, it is half a kilometer from home to the supermarket, it is not necessary to run the whole distance, but it is possible speed up the pace two or three times. Instead of taking the elevator you can choose stairs: if you live on the tenth floor it is not necessary to go up all the floors immediately, perhaps you can start with two or three and then integrate. Even carrying five percent of your body weight for a minute or two is equivalent to carrying a large backpack. In the end any type of short, brisk walk uphill It’s a cure-all and a healthy high-intensity activity.