Walking For 10 Minutes Can Add Years To Your Life

Adding 10 minute of physical activity a day could prevent more than 110,000 deaths each year, according to new research published in JAMA Internal Medicine. It’s the first study to use accelerometers—aka, activity trackers—to estimate how more physical activity could prevent deaths, while also acknowledging that increasing activity isn’t always possible for everyone.

Not surprisingly, the more physical activity, the more deaths prevented. The number almost doubled and tripled to 209,459 and 367,037, respectively, for 20 and 30 minutes. Similar results were observed for men and women, including those of all ethnic backgrounds. Volunteers were tracked for an average of ten years, during which time 1,165 deaths occurred.

A walk could be a good way to start the day or boost your energy in the afternoon. However, the walk needs to be a brisk one. The best indication you’re doing a moderate or vigorous activity is being relatively short of breath, where you would struggle to maintain a conversation. 

If you weigh 58kg and walk at a pace of 6.4km/h, you will burn roughly 50 calories during a 10-minute walk. However, it may not be easy to incorporate a new routine into your lifestyle. A good tip to turn a routine into a new habit is to integrate it into your lifestyle at a time and place that’s going to work for you.