- A few short bursts of exercise throughout the day may reduce heart disease risk by 50%, according to new research.
- Women specifically showed the most pronounced effects of short bursts of activity.
- Experts explain the findings.
If you struggle to get your steps in or to find enough time in the day to hit the gym, you’re in luck. New research finds that even a few short bursts of exercise may cut your heart disease risk in half.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine used data from more than 22,000 people between 40 and 79 years old from the UK. These participants wore physical activity trackers for nearly 24 hours a day between 2013 and 2015. Data from hospital and death records were also used to keep track of the participants’ heart health to look for major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.
Women, in particular, showed more obvious effects from the short bursts of activity. That is, women who did at least 3.4 minutes of short bursts of vigorous activity per day were found to be 45% less likely to have a major cardiovascular event. When exercising between 1.5 and four minutes a day (with bursts lasting up to one minute), researchers saw an association of a 51% reduced risk for heart attack and a 67% reduced risk for heart failure, compared to those who did not perform this type of exercise.
While women saw the most impact on their heart health, the male participants also saw some benefits of this activity. With a minimum of 2.3 minutes of activity per day, researchers found that men lowered their risk for major cardiovascular events by 11%; performing 5.6 minutes a day of this type of movement saw that men were 16% less likely to experience a major cardiovascular event.
“Making short bursts of vigorous physical activity a lifestyle habit could be a promising option for women who are not keen on structured exercise or are unable to do it for any reason,” study author Emmanuel Stamatakis, Ph.D, director of the Mackenzie Wearable Hub at the Charles Perkins Centre and the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, said in a statement.
Exercise helps the heart work better, says David Sagbir, M.D., board-certified cardiologist and spokesperson for Avocados-Love One Today. “Regular physical activity strengthens the heart muscle and improves blood flow which can help reduce risk factors for developing heart disease such as lowering blood pressure, managing cholesterol levels, helping regulate blood sugar, and impacting visceral adipose tissue—the type of body fat that surrounds organs and can increase our risk of heart disease,” he explains.
So if you want to focus on boosting heart health, Dr. Sagbir says that the best exercise for reducing heart disease risk is aerobic—the kind that increases your heart rate and gets you breathing more heavily. “I am a big fan of getting your heart pumping and circulation going with a daily walk,” he advises. And, as Dr. Sagbir points out, every micro-walk counts.
Walking is a proven means of reducing many of the major risk factors of heart disease, including blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and a high body mass index, Dr. Sagbir continues. “In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, improvements in cognitive function and memory, mood and stress, as well as longevity have all been documented,” he says (and recent research shows that walking could even add over a decade to your life!). Walking calls for no equipment, does not require a gym membership, and is adaptable to busy lifestyles, which is why Dr. Sagbir highly recommends getting your steps in.
In addition to walking, Cheng-Han Chen, M.D., board-certified interventional cardiologist and medical director of the Structural Heart Program at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, recommends jogging, taking the stairs, biking, and swimming/water aerobics. “It is also helpful to incorporate some strength training, as this also helps to improve the function of blood vessels,” he advises.
The bottom line
This study shows that even small amounts of higher-intensity exercise, just a few minutes at a time, can potentially provide a significant benefit to heart health, says Dr. Chen. “These are activities that can be incorporated into even a busy schedule. One can take brisk one-to-two-minute walks up and down the stairs, or get exercise through normal daily activities such as carrying heavy groceries,” he explains.
These findings are also compelling because of changes that take place during the menopause transition and how exercise may be particularly beneficial to women in this life stage, notes Dr. Sagbir. “Women experience changes during the menopausal transition that put them at greater risk for heart disease,” he says. For example, high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease, significantly increases after menopause, he explains.
To reduce heart disease risk, Dr. Chen recommends engaging in regular physical activity, eating a nutritious balanced diet, getting an adequate amount of quality sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco and alcohol, and managing blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.
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