Too busy to squeeze in a workout? You can still get tons of health benefits in a short amount of time.
Alright, we’ll be the first to say it: sometimes getting to the gym can be a challenge. From finding the time, to finding the energy, our daily workout is sometimes the one thing that gets pushed to the bottom of our to-do lists. And we know we’re not alone: so many of us struggle to keep exercise a top priority when life gets in the way. And unfortunately, it seems the older we get, the harder we struggle, with statistics suggesting that fewer than 20 percent of adults who are middle-aged or older successfully fit some kind of physical activity into their daily routine.
But does it have to be all or nothing? When scheduling gets in the way, is it better to save your full workout for the next day or should you squeeze in whatever time you do have available for vigorous activity? We took to the experts to find out.
JUST 4 MINUTES
It turns out, experts suggest you should definitely get in some exercise, even if you’re strapped for time–and we mean, really strapped for time. The University of Sydney recently published a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that details how just four minutes a day could change women’s health for the better. According to its research, four minutes of vigorous physical activity can cut a woman’s risk of heart attack in half. And you don’t even have to do the four minutes all at once. A minimum of one minute at a time, at least four times a day will give you the same benefits.
A great place to start is with “incidental exercise,” or activities that you may come across in your daily life already. Activities like climbing the stairs, carrying heavy bags, or picking up the pace while walking may all contribute to your four minutes of daily vigorous exercise. Starting with just four minutes a day could add up to big benefits for your health.
THE STUDY
This study focused on 13,018 women, aged 40-79. Going into the study, none of these women had a daily exercise routine in place. They were monitored for almost 24 hours a day, every day, from 2013 to 2015. After considering the women’s lifestyles, socioeconomic positions, cardiovascular health, co-existing conditions, and ethnicities, the researchers found that the women who completed an average of 3.4 minutes of vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) a day lowered their risk of a major cardiovascular event by 45 percent, their risk of a heart attack by 51 percent, and their risk of developing heart failure by 67 percent.
Even women who did less than that were still reaping benefits. Just 1.2 to 1.6 minutes of daily VILPA lowered the women’s risk of major cardiovascular events, heart attacks and heart failure by 30 percent, 33 percent, and 40 percent, respectively.
TAKEAWAY
Take the stairs. Take a brisk walk. Find a hill and climb it. The more VILPA you fit in, the lower your health risks and the higher your health benefits. If you can’t find time for a workout, or you’re unable to exercise, then start small now for some big changes later. The four-minute approach can be an encouraging stepping stone to embracing more exercise and building a healthy daily habit.
Can you spare four minutes?
