Want to Live Longer? 🚶‍♂️

Take the Stairs! Simple Lifestyle Tweak to Skip the Lift Can Help You Avoid Early Death by Keeping Your Heart Healthy, Scientists Find
 

🌟 Taking the stairs lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.🌟

It may be tempting to take the lift, but choosing the stairs really can help you live longer, research suggests. 🚶‍♀️✨

Scientists wanted to investigate whether climbing stairs, as a form of physical activity, could play a role in reducing the risks of cardiovascular disease and early death.

They conducted a large analysis involving nine previous studies and nearly 500,000 people aged between 35 and 84. 📊👥

📚 What Did They Find?📚

Analysis revealed that compared with not climbing stairs, stair climbing was linked to:
- A 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause
- A 39% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke over 14 years

🏃‍♂️💓 Take the Stairs to Lower Risk of Cardiovascular Disease 💓🏃‍♀️

The researchers wrote: "As sedentary behaviors and associated health risks become increasingly prevalent, there is a growing imperative to explore accessible and practical strategies to mitigate cardiovascular risk."

"These findings highlight the importance of promoting everyday activities, even within the workplace and home, to foster healthier lifestyles."

📉 Data suggests more than one in four adults worldwide do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity. 📉

Dr. Sophie Paddock from the University of East Anglia said, "If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart."

"Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial health impacts, and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines."

"Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits – but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home, or elsewhere, take the stairs." 🏢🏠

The findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology's Preventive Cardiology conference in Athens, Greece. 🇬🇷🩺

Previous Studies Back It Up! 📚

A previous study found that simple exercises such as climbing the stairs can provide "significant" heart and muscle benefits. Researchers from McMaster University in Canada found tackling the stairs was beneficial whether a person walked or ran up.

Experts said a doctor should be consulted if it takes you more than one-and-a-half minutes to ascend four flights of stairs. ⏱️🏥

How Much Exercise Do You Need?🤔

To stay healthy, adults aged 19 to 64 should try to be active daily and aim for:
- At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity (like cycling or brisk walking) every week
- Strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms)

Or:
- 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity (like running or a game of singles tennis) every week
- Strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms)

Or:
- A mix of moderate and vigorous aerobic activity every week (for example, 2 x 30-minute runs plus 30 minutes of brisk walking equates to 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity)
- Strength exercises on 2 or more days a week that work all the major muscles

A good rule is that 1 minute of vigorous activity provides the same health benefits as 2 minutes of moderate activity. 🕒💪

One way to do your recommended 150 minutes of weekly physical activity is to do 30 minutes on 5 days every week.

All adults should also break up long periods of sitting with light activity. 🚶‍♂️📈

So next time you have the choice, skip the lift and take the stairs! Your heart will thank you. ❤️✨