Just minutes improves heart health.
Incorporating brief, intense bursts of physical activity into everyday routines, such as climbing stairs, carrying heavy bags, or playing with a child or pet, can significantly reduce a woman’s risk of heart disease, according to a new study. The research, published on December 3 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that just four minutes of vigorous activity per day can lower the likelihood of heart-related issues for women who don’t engage in regular exercise.
Lead researcher Emmanuel Stamatakis, a professor at the University of Sydney, explained that even short bursts lasting only a minute each—adding up to a total of about 1.5 to 4 minutes daily—are linked to improved cardiovascular health in middle-aged women who typically don’t exercise. The study showed that women who engaged in these quick bouts of activity had a 51% lower risk of heart attack and a 67% lower chance of developing heart failure compared to those who were sedentary.
The study analyzed data from nearly 22,400 adults, with women making up 58% of the participants. All participants reported not engaging in regular exercise but wore activity trackers to record any incidental exercise throughout the day. The findings revealed that the more frequent these short bursts of physical activity, the lower the risk of heart disease. For example, women who accumulated an average of 3.4 minutes of daily activity had a 45% lower risk of heart problems. Even a modest 1.2 to 1.5 minutes was associated with a 33% reduction in heart attack risk and a 40% decrease in heart failure risk.
However, the study noted that men did not experience the same level of benefit from short bursts of activity. Men who averaged 5.6 minutes daily had only a 16% reduced risk of heart issues, and just 2.3 minutes showed an 11% reduction.
Stamatakis emphasized the importance of forming a regular habit of this type of activity, suggesting that while these bursts should not be viewed as a quick fix for heart health, they could be a useful strategy for women who struggle with traditional exercise. The study calls for more research to fully understand why such bursts of activity are particularly beneficial for women’s heart health.
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