No gym? No problem: Just 3-minutes of daily hustle could slash your heart risk, says surprising study
heart health
didn't hinge on routine workouts at all? What if the simple, fleeting movements you make while living your everyday life — climbing stairs, scrubbing floors, briskly walking to catch a cab — were quietly safeguarding your heart?
A groundbreaking study titled '
Dose Response of Incidental Physical Activity Against Cardiovascular Events and Mortality
' suggests just that. And its findings are as surprising as they are empowering: as little as three minutes a day of
moderate activity
— without any structured exercise — could significantly reduce the risk of heart disease.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
Finance
Cybersecurity
Data Science
Data Science
healthcare
Technology
Data Analytics
Others
Healthcare
Product Management
Degree
Project Management
PGDM
others
Design Thinking
Public Policy
Leadership
Digital Marketing
Artificial Intelligence
CXO
MCA
Management
MBA
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
9 Months
IIM Calcutta
SEPO - IIMC CFO India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Duration:
7 Months
S P Jain Institute of Management and Research
CERT-SPJIMR Fintech & Blockchain India
Starts on
undefined
Get Details
The Science Hidden in Your Daily Hustle
The study, conducted by researchers at the
University of Sydney
's Charles Perkins Centre, examined over 24,000 adults between the ages of 40 and 79. None of them were regular exercisers. Each participant wore a wrist accelerometer to monitor daily activity — not workouts, but the unintentional movements that often go unnoticed: rushing for a meeting, carrying shopping bags, mopping floors.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Senior Living Homes in New Market May Surprise You
Senior Living | Search Ads
Undo
What they found was startling. People who engaged in even brief episodes of moderate to vigorous
incidental physical activity
(IPA) had up to 50% lower risk of major
cardiovascular events
such as heart attacks or strokes. 'Incidental physical activity is what we do on autopilot,' explains Dr. Emmanuel Stamatakis, the lead researcher, in an interview with Good Housekeeping. 'From commuting and house chores to taking the stairs — it all counts.'
— DrKristieLeong (@DrKristieLeong)
And while only a small fraction of Americans hit the recommended 150 minutes of weekly structured exercise, this study offers a breath of relief: you don't need a gym membership to protect your heart — just a little effort in your daily rhythm.
You Might Also Like:
Top cardiologist calls out 'fake wellness' habits we mistake for health: 'Your heart isn't confused, it is exhausted'
How Little Is Enough?
The numbers reveal a hopeful story. Just 4.6 minutes of vigorous IPA or 23.8 minutes of moderate IPA daily — while doing things like pushing a lawnmower, lifting boxes, or power-cleaning your kitchen — can slash your cardiovascular risk. Even one minute of vigorous movement is roughly equivalent to three minutes of moderate movement or 35–48 minutes of light effort, such as leisurely walking.
In essence, three minutes of heart-pumping chore work daily could be your most underrated health insurance.
Every Movement Counts
The study challenges the idea that only
structured workouts
matter. 'Know that no movement is wasted and all of it counts,' says Dr. Stamatakis. 'Use every chance in life to move — take the stairs, walk briskly, carry your groceries with intention.'
To gauge your movement intensity, Stamatakis offers a simple test: if you can sing, the activity is light; if you can talk but not sing, it's moderate; and if you can neither talk nor sing, you're hitting vigorous intensity — and your heart is thanking you for it.
You Might Also Like:
Harvard study says your brain's fate may lie in your heart's health: 4 lifestyle changes to slow down brain and heart ageing
This research reframes the very idea of fitness. In a time-starved society, where 30-minute workouts often feel like a luxury, the hope lies in our hidden efforts — the quick dashes, the lifting, the housework. What we've long overlooked may quietly be protecting our most vital organ.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Time of India
Kanholibara seeks protection from Nagdevta with temples over graves of snakebite victims
1 2 Nagpur: Kanholibara, a village 53 km from Nagpur in Hingna tehsil, observes a tradition which stirs curiosity and disbelief. Here, when someone dies from a snakebite, the body is not cremated but buried, and a small temple dedicated to Nagdevta is built over the grave. The villagers believe the land is cursed, and worshipping the serpent god will save more lives from snakebites. Despite modern medical facilities and treatments now available, Kanolibara still sees one or two deaths from snake bites every year, claim villagers. Over 50 such small temples have been in the last nearly 75 years. Last year, Ashok, a snake rescuer from the village, caught a snake which in turn bit him 3- 4 times, leading to his death. Villagers say that many young children have also died over the years, often while playing or sitting in the fields. "Whenever a snake takes a life, we build a shrine for the Nagdevta on the spot," says a village elder, Purushottam Nataram adding, "It's our way of asking for protection. Every year, elaborate rituals are held at the snake temples on Nag Panchami. In the days leading up to the festival, the temples are freshly painted and decorated. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Villagers adorn the shrines with flowers and colourful fabrics. On the day of the festival, villagers, dressed in vibrant clothes, offer prayers and perform rituals. People from nearby villages join the celebrations, believing the blessings of Nagdevta carry power beyond Kanolibara. Interestingly, survivors of snake bites are also brought to the shrines. Inspired by their faith, a large Nagoba temple has also been built. Every Nag Panchami, these survivors visit the temple to express their gratitude. Decades ago, the lack of awareness and medical facilities meant that a snake bite was almost always fatal. With no doctors or treatments within reach, faith became the villagers' only weapon. Over time, this faith turned into a ritual, and the snake temples became part of the village's identity. Even today, despite knowing that a hospital can save lives, Kanholibara's people do not break their tradition. A new death leads to another temple, another shrine where prayers will be whispered for years to come.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Monsoon Causes Spurt In Hepatitis Cases In Capital
New Delhi: With the onset of the rainy season, hospitals across Delhi-NCR are witnessing a sharp rise in cases of hepatitis A and E, prompting experts to sound the alarm on World Hepatitis Day on Monday. Doctors say the seasonal spike is linked to poor water quality, sanitation failures and unhygienic food practices, which put children, pregnant women and those with pre-existing liver disease at serious risk. Several city hospitals reported a 30–40% increase in cases of acute viral hepatitis compared with the dry months. There was also a noticeable rise in outpatient visits for jaundice, abdominal pain, vomiting and other classic symptoms associated with hepatitis A and E. "In the last three weeks, we saw a 40% surge in acute viral hepatitis in our OPD," said Dr Abhideep Chaudhary, president-elect, Liver Transplantation Society of India (LTSI), and vice-chairman, HPB and liver transplantation, BLK-Max Hospital. "Most patients are unaware of hepatitis vaccination. Unsafe water and lack of awareness remain key triggers. Hepatitis E can be fatal during pregnancy, while hepatitis A can cause acute liver failure requiring, in some cases, a transplant." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Monsoon problems such as waterlogging, sewage contamination, and open drains further accelerate the spread of hepatitis A and E viruses, particularly in urban slums and informal settlements. You Can Also Check: Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi According to LTSI estimates and hospital data, over 70% of cases in India during the monsoon involve hepatitis E. Meanwhile, hepatitis A remains highly prevalent among children under 15. "This is a seasonal epidemic that returns every year, yet preparedness is lacking," rued Dr Sanjiv Saigal, president, LTSI. "Infection is entirely preventable through clean water, hygienic food handling and vaccination for high-risk groups. As we mark World Hepatitis Day, the focus must shift from treatment to prevention." The World Health Organization estimates that hepatitis E causes nearly 20 million infections globally each year, with a significant proportion reported from India. In urban areas like Delhi, aging water infrastructure, unregulated street food vendors and rapid urbanisation fuel such outbreaks annually. Chaudhary added that misinformation around jaundice being "self-limiting" often led to delayed diagnosis and worsened outcomes. "Patients believe they'll recover without treatment. By then, complications will have set in," he warned. As part of World Hepatitis Day initiatives, NGOs and public health groups are stepping up awareness campaigns in flood-prone and high-risk zones — organising health camps, distributing leaflets and advocating improved sanitation in vulnerable areas. "Our advice is simple: eat only well-cooked food, drink safe water and regularly wash hands with soap," said Dr Monika Jain, director, liver diseases and GI sciences, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute. While hepatitis B and C often dominate public discourse due to their long-term effects, doctors stress that hepatitis A and E pose an equally urgent threat during the monsoon season. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, dark urine and yellowing of the eyes are often ignored until the infection has progressed dangerously. On World Hepatitis Day, doctors said the fight must begin with clean water, public hygiene, food safety and early intervention. These illnesses needn't be deadly because they're preventable.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
It's Not Too Late to Avert Dementia After Age 60, US Study Shows
There's good news for older Americans at high-risk of developing dementia: simple steps to stay mentally and physically active improved thinking and helped keep Alzheimer's disease at bay. And it didn't take long. Lifestyle changes including exercise, a better diet, and more mental and social activity yielded significant protection within two years, according to a large clinical trial published Monday. To qualify for the study, participants had to have various risk factors for brain decline, like consuming a poor diet and not exercising regularly. Others had a gene mutation tied to Alzheimer's disease. While brain function starts to worsen in a person's sixties, the results indicate that switching up one's routine even later in life can stall the onset of dementia. Making such changes appeared to slow the cognitive aging clock by one to two years, said Laura Baker, a professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest University of Medicine and one of the study leaders. The key takeaways are to 'move more, sit less, add color to your plate, learn something new, and stay connected,' Baker said at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Toronto, where the results were presented. 'Challenge yourself to do this on a regular basis.' The findings were simultaneously published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The U.S. Study to Protect Brain Health Through Lifestyle Intervention to Reduce Risk, known as Pointer, is the largest lifestyle intervention trial for Alzheimer's disease completed in the U.S. It included more than 2,000 adults between the ages of 60 and 79 in structured and self-guided intervention groups. Cognitive function improved in both, but those getting structured support had a significantly greater benefit than those in the self-guided group. The program recommended cardiovascular exercise for 30 minutes, four days a week, and a low-salt diet with a focus on brain-healthy foods like dark leafy greens, berries, whole grains and coldwater fish. Participants in the structured group completed 'brain training' computer games three times a week. The structured group had 38 meetings with their peers over the two-year study to set goals and keep others accountable. The self-guided group met much less often — six times over the two years — but received the same information. The POINTER trial replicated the 2015 landmark FINGER study, or Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment, to assess whether those findings applied to the larger and often less healthy US population. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
