10 minutes of daily exercise has benefits beyond lifespan extension

Implementing an exercise routine can seem difficult, with many people feeling tired at the mere thought of it. Psychological inertia can make people resistant to exercising, even though current exercise habits encourage reaching the highest heart rate and time limit. However, exercise doesn’t have to take up a lot of time to be effective; just 10 minutes a day can make a difference. According to the latest study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, even if people over 40 exercise for just 10 minutes, their mortality rate can be reduced by 6.9%, preventing 110,000 deaths per year.

Short-term exercise promotes health as well

Exercise can improve health and reduce the risk of multiple chronic diseases. Previous research was based on random sampling, with different levels of exercise for each test subject. Today, researchers used the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the United States to collect participants’ exercise monitoring data for one week and compared it with the national death rate.

The results showed that regardless of gender or ethnicity, anyone who exercises can benefit from it, and the longer the exercise time, the greater the benefits. By extending daily exercise time to 20 minutes, the mortality rate can be reduced by 13%. If an exercise can last for half an hour, the mortality rate can be further reduced to 16.9%.

Lack of activity can also be a “cause of death”!

There is ample evidence in medicine to prove that exercise affects lifespan. In 2019, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a study that found more than 8% of deaths in the United States were attributed to “lack of activity.” Furthermore, a 2020 cross-analysis of lifestyle and mortality risks for approximately 44,000 adults in the United States and Europe found that sedentary individuals who sit almost all day have a 260% higher risk of death.

The study’s authors stated, “Not everyone can maintain daily long-term exercise, so this study is the first to increase the amount of exercise time per day and compare it with the actual number of deaths prevented.” It evaluates the impact of gradually increasing exercise time on human health, and such data encourages people to move more when they have the opportunity.

How to start exercising 10 minutes a day? Experts share tips

But how can we implement 10 minutes of daily exercise? According to CNN fitness expert Dana Santas, it’s much easier than you think. Imagine how quickly ten minutes can pass when you’re mindlessly scrolling on your phone or watching TV. Ten minutes isn’t a significant time investment, but it can lead to huge health benefits.

Santas suggests that people choose three to four favorite songs and play them while doing a suitable form of exercise, such as outdoor walking, treadmill walking, yoga, or dancing. Once the song is over, 10 minutes of exercise will be complete. For those who are more accustomed to exercising, they can add full-body exercises like 10-25 push-ups, 25-40 squats, or one minute of jogging in place.

“Exercise doesn’t have to be very difficult to be effective,” Santas says. “Just making small adjustments to your lifestyle can make a huge difference.” Taking a break and moving around while watching TV at night, or getting off public transportation early can help complete 10 minutes of exercise during everyday activities.