Adults should get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week, according to the World Health Organization. But people who exceed these levels live longer than those who don’t.
“It is also important to note that we did not find a detrimental association among individuals who reported (more than four times) the recommended minimum levels of long-term moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time physical activity,” he added in an email.
Examples of moderate activity include very brisk walking, mowing the lawn, or playing doubles tennis, while vigorous activity includes things like hiking, jogging, or playing soccer, according to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.
The study results support current WHO physical activity guidelines, but also call for higher levels to see even more benefit from longer life, Lee said.
How to add more movement
You might be thinking, “10 hours a week of moderate activity sounds like a lot. There’s no way I can work that much with all my other responsibilities.’
And yes, it can take some intentionality and effort. But studies also show the best ways to work exercise into routines so they stick.
A mega-study published in December 2021 found that the best exercise programs include scheduling when you exercise, getting reminders, offering incentives and discouraging missing more than one scheduled workout in a row.” If people hope to increase their physical activity or to change their health behaviors, there are many low-cost behavioral insights that can be built into programs to help them achieve greater success,” said lead author of the December study Katie Milkman, the James G. Dinan at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want To Be.” And you don’t have to add it all at once. Just 11 minutes of exercise a day affect life expectancy, according to a 2021 study.
You can do this with a brisk walk outside or on the treadmill, do four sets of a three-minute bodyweight exercise sequence, practice a yoga flow or pick three upbeat songs to dance to, CNN contributor Dana Santas told fitness, certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach in professional sports.
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