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How to save the heart with minimal physical exertion

How to save the heart with minimal physical exertion

Sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest threats to our health, an invisible enemy that affects 28% of adults between the ages of 18 and 69, with an impact that does not spare even the young. Spending a large amount of time sitting increases the risk of heart failure and cardiovascular disease, even in active people. We already know well how beneficial physical activity is for our heart and, consequently, for the entire body.

How to save your heart with minimal physical effort

You don't have to spend hours at the gym to keep your heart in good shape; even just a few minutes of physical activity a day can bring significant benefits. This is confirmed by a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, based on data from over 22,000 people between the ages of 40 and 69.

The researchers, led by Emmanuel Stamatakis, an epidemiologist at the University of Sydney, used data from over 103,000 people with an average age of 61, included in the UK Biobank, who were invited to wear a movement tracking device for a full week between 2013 and 2015. Analyzing the data of 22,000 people who declared that they did not do any physical activity in their free time and comparing them with the health problems they experienced over the following eight years, the researchers concluded that just 20-30 seconds of intense physical effort performed several times a day could reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems.

Of the 969 women who did no vigorous physical activity, 52 experienced a significant cardiovascular event. Women who did about 3.4 minutes of vigorous activity per day in total saw their risk almost halved. Smaller, but still significant, benefits were also confirmed in men. From here, Stamatakis concluded: “Even just one or two minutes of physical activity per day reduces the risk of heart attack by 33%.”

Professor Stamatakis emphasized:

“Turning short bursts of intense physical activity into a daily habit may be a promising option, especially for women who dislike structured exercise or who cannot practice it for various reasons. As a starting point, it may be easier to integrate a few minutes of activity into the day, such as climbing stairs, carrying shopping bags, walking on an incline, playing with a child or a pet, or taking a brisk walk.”

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