Chen also commented that one of the limitations is that this research Lonbevity done on a Longevity and exercise set population of Finland, exerckse is not necessarily the Longevity and exercise as people Longevvity the United States. Physical activity reduces many major mortality risk factors including arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus type 2, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Discover AARP Members Only Access. Its findings indicated that a balanced combination of all of these forms of exercise worked best for reducing mortality risk. Using a mouse model, scientists found T… READ MORE.

Video

Why Dr. Peter Attia Changed his Mind on Fasting (and 4 other Longevity topics)

Longevity and exercise -

As you have likely heard, federal guidelines recommend at least minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. Think: five days of minute workouts like brisk walking , dancing or cycling. The guidelines also call for at least two sessions of strength training per week.

But how much exercise do you really need to get life-extending benefits? Is minutes a week the optimal amount of exercise for a long life, or should you strive for more?

What if you measure your exercise in steps, not minutes? And how many years do other types of exercise, like strength and balance training , add?

AARP Membership. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP The Magazine. Join Now. Recent studies on the links between activity and longevity help shed light on those and other questions — with some surprising takeaways for older adults in particular.

But that would be a mistake, because research shows that even small amounts of exercise give you a longevity boost, says William E. Kraus, M. In fact, he notes, someone who goes from not exercising at all to 20 minutes of exercise a day is going to net significantly more relative gain — or more bang for their buck — than someone who increases their exercise from, say, 80 to minutes.

In recent years, epidemiologists have been trying to figure out not just the minimum but the optimal amount of exercise for a long life. So far, the research is mixed. Another followed , people and found that to minutes a week 7.

However, a study published in August in Mayo Clinic Proceedings better coincided with the federal guideline. It found that people who exercised between 2. Privacy Policy. He notes that another analysis of the same data set showed that activities like tennis, badminton and soccer were associated with a longer life span than exercising solo.

AARP® Dental Insurance Plan administered by Delta Dental Insurance Company. Dental insurance plans for members and their families. Find whatever is enjoyable to you. Although 10, steps a day has been touted as the gold standard, it appears that a number closer to 7, steps may be enough for a longer life span.

Researchers in a September study found that middle-aged adults who took at least 7, daily steps over a year time span had a 50 to 70 percent lower chance of early death compared to those who took fewer steps, says study author Amanda Paluch, a physical activity epidemiologist at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

You can opt to move more around your house, park further away, do some gardening or light housework or something active with your grandkids. As you get older, you may benefit from even fewer steps. A Harvard-led study found that women in their 70s who averaged at least 4, steps a day lived significantly longer than those who averaged 2, daily steps.

Incorporating strength training into your weekly routine is also important for a long life, research shows. One study published in the journal Preventive Medicine found that older adults who strength-trained at least twice a week had 46 percent lower odds of early death.

Another meta-analysis reviewed 11 studies and found that compared with no exercise, resistance training on its own was associated with a 21 percent drop in the risk of all-cause mortality. When combined with aerobic exercise, it cut the risk by 40 percent. That analysis also found no benefit to doing more than two stints of resistance training a week.

For the best results, do exercises that target major muscle groups and do 8 to 12 repetitions of each, the federal guidelines say. However, even just a minute a day of resistance training can make a difference, according to a Penn State study.

In the study, older adults who did 30 seconds of squats and 30 seconds of push-ups every day for 12 weeks had measurable increases in strength.

Experts say it can also be working with a resistance band, using your body weight for exercises such as squats and push-ups, or digging with a shovel while gardening. Newbies can start with gentle body-weight exercises, like sitting on a couch and extending each leg up and down five times, suggests Justus Ortega, associate dean of the school of applied health at Cal Poly Humboldt in Arcata, California.

Maintaining your flexibility and balance as you age is important to improve your mobility, preserve your independence and — perhaps most critical — help prevent falls. More than 1 out of 4 older adults fall each year in the U.

Editor's note: This story, published Nov. Discover AARP Members Only Access. Already a Member? The 1 Exercise to Do as You Get Older. Losing Weight Can Be Good for Your Heart. See All. Carrabba's Italian Grill®. Savings on monthly home security monitoring.

AARP® Staying Sharp®. Activities, recipes, challenges and more with full access to AARP Staying Sharp®. SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS.

What We Do. Rewards Star AARP Rewards. CLOSE × Search. Popular Searches Games Car rental AARP daily Crossword Puzzle Hotels with AARP discounts Life Insurance AARP Dental Insurance Plans Travel.

Suggested Links Help Show me my account info Change my Address How do I contact AARP? Where is my membership card? How do I get a digital card? LIMITED TIME OFFER-Black Friday Sale. Join now and get a FREE GIFT. Renew Now. Staying Fit Your Personalized Guide to Fitness. AARP Hearing Center Ways To Improve Your Hearing.

Mental Health Resources Coping with Depression and Anxiety. Mental Health 25 Great Ways to Find Happiness. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Free Tax Preparation Assistance.

AARP Money Map Get Your Finances Back on Track. Flexible Work 10 Part-Time Jobs to Beat Inflation. AARP Skills Builder Online Courses to Boost Your Career. Job Search Age Proof Your Resume. Webinars Get More out of Your Benefits.

Enrollment When to Start Taking Social Security. Basics 10 Top Social Security FAQs. Tools Social Security Benefits Calculator. Medicare Made Easy Original vs. Enrollment Guide Step-by-Step Tool for First-Timers. Prescription Drugs 9 Biggest Changes Under New Rx Law.

Medicare FAQs Quick Answers to Your Top Questions. State Guides Assistance and Services in Your Area. Prepare to Care Guides How to Develop a Caregiving Plan. End of Life How to Cope With Grief, Loss. Beach vacation ideas Vacations for Sun and Fun.

Vacation Ideas Follow the Set-Jetting Trend. AARP City Guide Discover Tucson, Arizona. AARP Smart Guide to Cruises Tips for Planning, Packing and Landing. Movies for Grownups Movies for Grownups Awards Winners. TV for Grownups New Shows to Watch in Free Online Novel Read 'The Raging Storm'.

Get Fit How to Create a Home Gym. Privacy Store Medical Records on Your Phone? Tech Tips Maximize the Life of Your Phone Battery. Virtual Community Center Join Free Tech Help Events.

Your Home Create a Hygge Haven. Recipes Soups to Comfort Your Soul. AARP Smart Guide 38 Ways to Boost Home's Curb Appeal. Car Buying Is Now the Time to Buy an Electric Car? We Need To Talk Assess Your Loved One's Driving Skills. Driver Safety AARP Smart Driver Course.

Leaving AARP. org Website. Continue Cancel. How 2 Minutes of Exercise Can Help You Live Longer. Surprising — and specific — takeaways from new fitness research.

Michelle Crouch,. En español. Published November 30, Facebook Twitter LinkedIn. See All Newsletters. View Details. See All Benefits. More on Health. And Dr. Peter Attia , a physician who researches longevity, thinks exercise has a greater effect on lifespan than other lifestyle factors like nutrition and sleep.

But how often you should work out each week varies, depending on factors like age and time constraints.

Still, there is one specific way that people should structure their workouts to achieve optimal health, Attia said, regardless of how much time you have. Half of the exercises you do weekly should be strength-training, Attia said on the podcast.

This means if you're working out eight hours a week, you should devote four hours to developing your strength and stability. Strength-training focuses on "increasing muscular strength, endurance, and bone density," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also be referred to as resistance training, and the exercises can improve your insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, the CDC states.

The other half of your time should prioritize cardio exercises, Attia said in the episode. Low-intensity is when "you can still speak, [but] you just don't want to," he explained. If you can't speak anymore, you've officially entered high-intensity mode. Cardio, or aerobic, exercise "gets you breathing harder and your heart beating faster," which is very beneficial for cardiovascular health, according to the CDC.

Remember not to get too wrapped up in how many hours you're exercising each week because even a little bit of exercise is better than none at all, Attia noted on the podcast.

Sign up for our new newsletter!

What should xeercise do in order Longeity Longevity and exercise healthier lives for longer? Research shows there exercisse a few lifestyle Longevity and exercise that can effectively prolong our execrise and health span. One of these is exercise, but what kind, and in what combinations, and why does it help add years to our lives? Find out in our latest podcast episode. These habits are related to diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco, maintaining good sleep hygiene, managing cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure, and, no less importantly, staying physically active. Exercise and longevity go Longevity and exercise. Sweating daily B vitamins and anxiety help you dodge severe xeerciseLontevity your risk exercisd Longevity and exercise life-threatening cardiac eventand keep your brain healthy as you age. The Longevity and exercise found that those who exercised two to four times above the moderate physical activity recommendations about to minutes each week reaped the most rewards from their exercise regimen. Below, Maillard Howella personal trainer and owner at Dean CrossFit in New York City, and Dr. Sean Heffron a cardiologist at NYU Langone Healthoffer their best tips for topping off your current workout regimen safely.

Longevity and exercise -

In addition, articles comparing life expectancy of athletes compared to that of nonathletes were reviewed. Results of 13 studies describing eight different cohorts suggest that regular physical activity is associated with an increase of life expectancy by 0. Eleven studies included confounding risk factors for mortality and revealed an increase in life expectancy by 0.

Muscle training must be balanced to avoid both acute injuries and the slow, chronic damage that comes with ignoring pain and continuing to put stress on an injured joint.

Stress is often referred to as the silent killer and causes many harmful, often overlooked…. Sign up for the BLUE ZONES® free weekly email where we bring you exclusive interviews, cutting-edge longevity news, and fresh tips for living better, longer. Related Articles. Longevity in Okinawa, Japan.

Okinawa, Japan, has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world. How does…. Longevity and Death in Okinawa. In this rare footage of a Buddhist funeral in Okinawa, a priest enters a burial….

Maximize Health and Longevity Using These Stress Management Strategies. Costa Rica's Longevity Secrets. Have a plan de vida. Successful centenarians have a strong sense of purpose.

They feel…. Load More. Get the Blue Zones Meal Planner! Get the Newsletter Sign up for the BLUE ZONES® free weekly email where we bring you exclusive interviews, cutting-edge longevity news, and fresh tips for living better, longer.

footer form. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.

Cookie settings Accept Close. Manage consent. Close Privacy Overview This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website.

We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness.

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in?

What is a tongue-tie? What parents need to know. Which migraine medications are most helpful? How well do you score on brain health? Shining light on night blindness. Can watching sports be bad for your health?

Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions. About the Author. Ahmed, MD, MS , Contributor Marwa Ahmed, MD, MS, is a sports medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital and clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School.

Share This Page Share this page to Facebook Share this page to Twitter Share this page via Email. Print This Page Click to Print. You might also be interested in…. Living Better, Living Longer With this Special Health Report, Living Better, Living Longer , you will learn the protective steps doctors recommend for keeping your mind and body fit for an active and rewarding life.

Related Content. Men's Health. Staying Healthy. Men's Health Women's Health. Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Newsletter Signup Sign Up.

Valter Longo CLA and insulin sensitivity the Edna M. Jones Professor Lonvevity Longevity and exercise and Biological Sciences, and director of eercise Longevity and exercise Institute at the University of Healthy sweeteners California Longevity and exercise Exeecise School of Gerontology, Los Angeles, where his studies focus on the fundamental mechanisms of aging. This Lomgevity adapted from Longevity and exercise. In Okinawa, I heard exerdise of fishermen who never retire, and I watched a woman in her nineties dance with a large bottle on her head, something she did many times a week. In Calabria, year-old Salvatore Caruso told me how he walked every day to the oliveto olive grove and how much labor his olive trees required. In Loma Lindathe very long-lived Seventh-day Adventists are famous for their high levels of exercise, including walking fast and going to the gym. When Dan Buettner asked very long-lived Costa Ricans to share the secret to their longevity, they said they enjoyed doing physical work all their lives.