Which exercise extends longevity?
An hour of one type of exercise can translate to an additional seven hours added to a person's life
Not all types of physical activity are equal when it comes to longevity. Competing studies highlight the types of exercise that pack the best health punch.
A 2016 study found that people who engaged in racquet sports, swimming and aerobics had the lowest risk of dying. A more recent study found that running, regardless of pace or mileage, dropped a person’s risk of premature death by almost 40%. Researchers said that an hour of running statistically lengthens life expectancy by seven hours.
While the findings are associational and can’t (yet) causally link these forms of exercise to increases in longevity, the data suggests the association is strong.
For best results, exceed activity recommendations and make sure you sweat
Unsurprisingly, people who would most likely benefit from these findings are those who do not exercise at all or come nowhere close to the recommended 150 minutes per week of moderate activity.
Researchers said those who tripled the recommended level of moderate exercise – and that includes walking, which has been linked to improved brain function – by working out a little over an hour per day, saw a decrease in premature death risk. Those who partook in vigorous exercise like the aerobic requirements in squash, tennis, swimming, dance or zumba classes, gained even more time to their life compared to those who didn’t break a sweat.
The economics of running and longevity
Researchers calculated that running returns more time to people’s lives than it consumes: a typical runner would spend less than six months running over the course of almost 40 years (at two hours per week of training) and could expect an increase in life expectancy of 3.2 years, for a net gain of about 2.8 years. The researchers found that the improvements in life expectancy leveled out at about four hours of running per week. The gains in life expectancy are capped at around three extra years regardless of running mileage.
That same study found that walking, cycling and other exercise that requires the same exertion as running can also drop the risk of premature death by about 12%. All these activities reduce the impact of risk factors such as high blood pressure and extra body fat, while raising aerobic fitness.
A prescription for long life
Find a sport or exercise that you can enjoy, do it often (150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week) and push yourself real hard for 20 to 30 of those minutes. If you are inclined to adopt a larger dose of exercise, take up running or another vigorous activity. Each one-hour run could translate to an additional seven hours added to your life.
