During the past 100 years, our life expectancy has continually lengthened. A look at what helps you live longer shows you can potentially add five years to your life with a single, healthy habit.
Do some exercise every day for about 30 minutes and it will give you that time back in spades.
A study at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences in Oslo shows that starting an exercise program at any age is as good for your health and longevity as quitting smoking.
Exercise makes a huge difference in your life, according to this study – even if you are in your 70s and you’ve never lifted a finger at the gym or laced up a running shoe.
The 12-year study of about 6,000 Norwegian men, showed that about half of the men in their 70s who were dedicated TV watchers and hardly ever did any physical activity, died during the research.
But exercise saved the lives of many others. Only about one in four of the exercisers died during that time.
That means that getting about 30 minutes of activity daily can cut your risk of dying over a ten year period in half. That’s a lot of bang for your exercise buck!
The researchers say that their study also shows that men in their 40s who don’t exercise can expect to die, on average, five years sooner than active men.
The scientists note that you can reap benefits from activity at any age. And you don’t have to be a gym rat. Gardening, walking, swimming or riding a bike – as long as you get up off the couch and do something, you can help your health.
Of course, if you’ve read my other reports, you know I’m an exercise enthusiast. My feelings about working out are like the feelings Frank Sinatra had about drinking. He reportedly said, “I feel sorry for people who don’t drink, because when they wake up in the morning, that’s the best they’re going to feel all day.”
It doesn’t have to be long-form endurance exercise. It can be anything fun that gets your heart rate up, your circulation flowing and your sweat glands working. If you don’t work up a sweat every day, you’ll never know how good it can make you feel.
