For the Heart, Small Exertions Are Better Than None

Stopping to smell the roses is one thing. But dawdling through life could come with added health risks, according to new research. Researchers analyzed the daily movements of more than 24,000 adults who did not formally exercise over the course of a week, finding those who made small exertions—vacuuming with speed or taking the stairs instead of the escalator—were as much as half as likely to experience a heart attack or stroke in subsequent years as those who moved slowly, per the Washington Post. The study, published Monday in Circulation, suggests "it's a good idea to find ways to fit exertion into your daily life," study author Emmanuel Stamatakis, an exercise scientist at the University of Sydney, tells the outlet.

His past research found people who don't formally exercise but move at a vigorous pace, to the point of getting out of the breath, live longer and have fewer serious diseases than people who move more slowly. For this study, Stamatakis and colleagues analyzed records from 24,139 adults who wore fitness trackers, none of whom exercised regularly. People who engaged in two hours of light daily activities, like a walk, had slightly reduced risks for cardiovascular issues and deaths over the next eight years compared to those who recorded almost no activity, while people who moved at a moderate pace for at least 24 minutes a day had up to a 50% lower risk of cardiovascular issues and deaths.

Those who engaged in incidental activity of vigorous intensity for just over five minutes per day, meanwhile, were up to 38% less likely to suffer a serious heart event or death, per the Sydney Morning Herald. Though it could be that those who move slowly are hindered by health problems that leave them predisposed to heart risks, Stamatakis says there's an opportunity here for people to hurry up daily tasks, like gardening or walking up stairs, to push them into the moderate or vigorous category, adding more exertion and potentially lowering health risks without having to set foot in a gym. While structured exercise is "far superior" for health and fitness, a bit of huffing and puffing can still provide meaningful benefits, Stamatakis tells the Herald. (More wellness stories.)