Scientists say just 30 minutes of exercise a week could transform your health

"Current health recommendations suggest exercising for at least 2.5 hours each week, with 5 hours considered even better. For many people, that target can seem overwhelming. But research from the past two decades suggests the amount of exercise needed for meaningful health benefits may be much lower than many assume. According to researchers, just 30 minutes of high intensity exercise per week can improve health."

"That works out to roughly 4.5 minutes per day or about 10 minutes every other day. The important part is intensity. The activity needs to be strenuous enough to leave you noticeably out of breath. If you use a heart rate monitor, researchers say your heart rate should reach about 85 percent of your maximum. However, special equipment is not necessary."

"A simple way to judge intensity is by how difficult it is to talk. You should still be able to speak in short sentences, but you should not be able to sing or carry on a continuous conversation comfortably. Why Cardiovascular Fitness Matters "The biggest reported challenge regarding exercise is lack of time. But with intense, short workouts, this is no longer a valid excuse," said Ulrik Wisløff."

"Researchers say even a small amount of high intensity activity can improve cardiovascular fitness, which plays a major role in long term health. "Cardiovascular fitness is the best indicator of current and future health. Good cardio fitness reduces the risk of over 30 lif"

Health recommendations often call for 2.5 hours of exercise weekly, but research indicates meaningful benefits can occur with much less time. About 30 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week can improve health, which equals roughly 4.5 minutes per day or around 10 minutes every other day. Intensity is the key factor, requiring strenuous effort that leaves a person noticeably out of breath. With a heart rate monitor, the target is about 85% of maximum heart rate. Without equipment, intensity can be judged by speaking difficulty: short sentences are possible, but singing or comfortable continuous conversation is not. Improved cardiovascular fitness is linked to better long-term health outcomes.

Read at ScienceDaily