Just 8 Minutes of Exercise a Day Is All You Need

Really? The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes of “moderate intensity” exercise each week, such as walking briskly, or you could spend 75 minutes each week doing vigorous exercise, like running. The CDC also recommends muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week, like lifting weights. But only 54% of Americans manage to get their 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Health Statistics.

In a recent study published in European Heart Journal, scientists examined data from fitness trackers worn by more than 71,000 people studied in the United Kingdom, then analyzed their health over the next several years. 

Researchers found that 54 minutes of vigorous exercise per week provides the most bang for your buck, lowering the risk of early death from any cause by 36% and your chances of getting heart disease by 35%. The ‘minimal’ volume dose was ∼15 min/week for all-cause and cancer mortality and 19 min/week for CVD mortality.

While more time spent exercising unsurprisingly led to better health, the protective effects of exercise start to plateau after a certain point, according to the study.

More Here on the European Heat Journal study.