11 Minutes Of Exercise A Day Is All You Need To Score Significant Health Benefits, Study Finds

© Pexels / Ketut Subiyanto Research shows that just 11 minutes of exercise a day is enough to reap significant health benefits.

The "all or nothing" mentality is a common "takeaway" when it comes to exercise. People often feel like they have to "show off," stick to a strict program, or spend hours at the gym. In fact, you don't need to move as much as you think to experience truly transformative physical and mental health benefits. In fact, a little more than 10 minutes a day can do the trick.

A large new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 11 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic activity can reduce the risk of chronic disease and death.

"If you're someone who finds the idea of ​​150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week a little scary, our findings should be good news. Being active is better than being inactive. Do it."

The study, conducted by the University of Cambridge in the UK, is a systematic review of data from 196 studies. In total, it tracked more than 30 million adults over an average of 10 years. Just 75 minutes per week, about 11 minutes per day of moderate-intensity activity, reduces the risk of premature death, cardiovascular disease by 23% and the risk by 17%. Compared to inactive people, the risk of cancer is 7% lower. The researchers noted that "one in 10 premature deaths could be prevented if everyone achieved even half of the recommended physical activity."

For context, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening exercise per week. The review also looked at people who followed these recommendations and found that participants who spent 150 minutes a week (or 22 minutes a day) had a 31% lower risk of death from any cause and a 29% lower risk of cardiovascular disease. and the risk of dying from cancer is reduced by 15%.

But because achieving this much physical activity results in significant health benefits, the researchers recommend changing public health messages to convey that "some physical activity is better than none" and consider recommendations based on extremes. Finally, two-thirds of study participants reported activity levels below the 150-minute threshold, and one in 10 exercised more than 300 minutes per week.

"If you're someone who finds the idea of ​​doing 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a little scary, our results are good news. Activity is better than inactivity. Do what you can," Soren said. Brage, PhD, study author. Head of the Physical Activity Epidemiology Group, Epidemiology Unit, Medical Research Council, University of Cambridge, in a press release.

If you're willing to exercise for more than 75 minutes a week (or about 11 minutes a day), you'll have more energy, especially since regular exercise can help manage stress, improve mood, and reduce depression. More practice will improve you up to a point. A study published in the July 2022 issue of the American Heart Association's journal Circulation found that people who exercised two to four times the recommended minimum lived longer than those who did not exercise much. However, this new study had similar results. Anyone who followed the HHS guidelines had a reduced risk of death.

It should be noted that all these studies focused on exercise of at least moderate intensity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this means it's harder to get your heart rate up and make you sweat. If you can talk but can't read, that's a sign you've hit the sweet spot, according to the CDC. So while gentle exercises like Pilates or restorative yoga sound amazing and count among your other health benefits, they don't count for 11 minutes a day.

In general, the result is as follows. any move at least looks better. And of course, it doesn't have to look like a traditional workout to get it. If you score high in a VR fitness game or learn a TikTok dance that gets your heart racing, you've just worked out. Whether you can't decide whether or not you'll have time to exercise next time, or debate whether to take the elevator instead of the stairs, remember that every little thing about your health counts.

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