There is no need to undergo stressful physical activities: according to science, to live longer you just need to do …
Eugenio Spagnuolo
13 March
– Milano
There are those who do it to have a beach body. And those looking for an antidote to stress in physical activity. But science tells us that perhaps the major benefit of exercise is longevity. And we’re not just talking about Rocky Balboa-style workouts: as a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine reveals, it only takes 11 minutes of daily movement, not too intense, to extend our lifespan. And over the last few years doctors and scientists have discovered that there are several ways to use sport to age slowly and healthily …
Finding an activity… Fun
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Who said that training or is Ironman or nothing? Exercising and gaining health isn’t just for those who practice high-intensity activities. A study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, for example, found a link between golf and a longer life. And a research project published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that even activities that are not specifically considered fitness, such as gardening, can extend lifespan. In short, it seems that the first secret to living longer is to find a physical activity that we really like. Even if it has nothing to do with training in the strict sense.
Make exercise more social
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The positive effects of doing group sports are also greater than those of training alone. To say this, among others, is a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings which, after monitoring over 8,000 people for over 20 years, found that less solitary exercises such as tennis and badminton were linked to greater longevity. Not to mention that training with a partner or in a group can also help us to respect sporting commitments … On days when the sofa seems irresistible.
Move little but often
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Research from Harvard University suggests aiming for approx 4,400 steps a day to significantly reduce the risk of mortality. The good news is that we don’t have to do them all at once. It is also okay to spread physical activity here and there throughout the day. How? For example, preferring the stairs to the elevator. Or by parking the car a little further away from the office. All small actions that add up in the end.
Training in the sunlight
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Owls, who prefer to work out in the evening, will not appreciate this. But there is a very good reason why we should consider doing at least a few training sessions in the sun: vitamin D. When our skin is exposed to the sun, the body naturally produces vitamin D and according to research published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, vitamin D deficiency is linked with a significant risk of cardiovascular disease and reduced survival.
Avoid Stress … From Exercise
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Exercising is a great way to relieve stress. But it can also turn into an additional stressor if the fitness goals we set ourselves end up obsessing us. A study published in Health Psychology notes, for example, that worrying about not exercising as much as others is associated with an increased risk of premature death. “The findings are in line with a growing body of research suggesting that our mindset, in this case, beliefs about how much exercise we are doing relative to others, may play a crucial role in health,” explains Alia Crum, professor of psychology. at Stanford University. The study revealed that over a 21-year period, those who considered themselves less active than their peers were 71% more likely to die than others who did not feel this gap. All the fault of negative thoughts, in short: “It’s time to start taking the importance of our thoughts in health more seriously. In the pursuit of health and longevity, it is important to adopt not only healthy behaviors, but also healthy thoughts”, concludes Crum .
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