Live Longer: 15 Minutes = 3 Years

No it’s not bad math. It’s the results of a study recently reported in Lancet’s.  In Taiwan, 416,175 people were studied from 1996 through 2008.  The study found that the low-level activity group, people who did moderate exercise like brisk walking for 15 minutes a day, increased their life expectancy by three years.  They also had a 14 percent reduction in their overall mortality risk.

People who exercised more, showed even better results.

Currently it is recommended that we exercise anywhere from 30-60 minutes per day.  For some people that is just too much.  Between juggling work/school, commuting, family, etc., time can be a very precious commodity.  Knowing you should exercise and being able to find the time can be two very different things.

So while more exercise can give more improvements, it’s good to know that even carving out 15 minutes a day can have significant benefit.  Pretty much everyone can find 15 minutes to go do some brisk walking.  It doesn’t require fancy equipment, although a good pair of shoes is recommended.  You don’t need to invest precious time getting to and from a gym.  Just go out the door and walk briskly for 15 minutes.

Often people start an exercise program, but find that they just don’t have the time to keep up the routine. Then they stop everything. Exercise becomes an all or nothing proposition. While it is better to have a comprehensive program of weight lifting and aerobic work, it’s good to know that even doing a little can produce solid results.

So if you don’t have time to do the full gamut, see about adding those 15 minutes daily.  You might wind up with more energy and find the time to do even more. But at least you’ve still done something good for yourself.