Walking Daily Could Add 11 Years to Your Life: Here’s What Doctors Want You To Know
A new study reveals the benefits of walking daily for longevity—plus tips to get started!
Given all we know regarding the boundless benefits of physical activity, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that walking every day can extend your lifespan. This low-impact, effective exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiovascular function, enhance, sleep quality and manage mental health amongst many other proven feats. The culmination? The potential to live an extra decade! Keep reading to find out how many minutes per day science says you should walk for better longevity.
A closer look at this latest study: walking for a longer life
In a study recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that if all individuals were as active as the top 25 percent of the American population they could live an additional 5.3 years on average.
Taking this further, the authors used this model to predict that extending their physical activity by 111 more minutes (just under 2 hours) of walking each day and the least active group live up to 11 years longer.
Woman's World Answers
Here’s how it worked: Study authors analyzed data from the 2017 mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics as well as the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Participants were 40 years or older and wore devices to monitor their physical activity.
Findings suggested that 25 percent of the most active people in the study engaged in energy expenditure equivalent to walking 160 minutes (nearly 3 hours) daily at 3 miles per hour, which is generally considered a brisk pace. This group presented with a lower risk of death from all causes, particularly cardiovascular-related deaths.
Based on these results, researchers estimated that if all people achieved this level of exercise, their life expectancy may jump by around five years or more from 78.6 to 84.
The group that stood to see the maximum lifetime per hour of walking benefit was the lowest activity percentile, the study said. The lowest quartile of activity was associated with a decrease in life expectancy of about six years, but for every additional hour these participants walked, approximately 6.3 more hours of life expectancy could be gained, the study noted.
5 ways walking daily may help extend your life
Walking daily offers notable health benefits that can extend not only length but also the quality of life, confirms Edmond Hakimi, DO, internal medicine physician and Medical Director at Wellbridge. Here’s how…
Walking improves heart health
Making walking a regular habit strengthens your heart, lowers blood pressure, improves circulation and helps manage cholesterol levels, says Dr. Hakimi. This significantly reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It helps ward off disease
Walking can also play a role in protecting your body from chronic illness. It helps regulate blood sugar levels, lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, and reduces inflammation linked to conditions like arthritis and certain cancers, Dr. Hakimi offers.
It also steadily burns calories, functioning as an effective tool for weight management that can help lower your risk of obesity-related diseases.
Walking supports mental health
Physical activity is a valuable mental health tool, and walking is no exception. It boosts mood, reduces stress, helps alleviate anxiety and depression and even improves cognitive function. For older adults, regular walking may lower the risk of dementia, Dr Hakimi explains.
It helps strengthen your bones and joints
Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that supports bone density and helps reduce stiffness or pain, especially in people with arthritis, says Dr. Hakimi.
Walking improves sleep and energy
Regular walking enhances sleep quality by regulating your body’s internal clock, Dr. Hakimi notes. It also boosts circulation, which provides a consistent energy boost throughout the day.
Starting small: Every step counts
Walking nearly 3 hours a day might sound intimidating and downright impossible, especially if you have a job, family or all many the commitments that come with modern life, but the good news is any amount of walking is beneficial to your longevity. Here are some tips for getting started and building your endurance.
Start small
Begin with building blocks: short, manageable walks of about 10–15 minutes, and add 5–10 minutes each week, Dr. Hakimi suggests.
“This approach prevents burnout and allows your body to adjust,” he says.
Space out your strolls
Dr. Hakimi cautions not to try to walk for three hours simultaneously. Instead, he recommends breaking your walks into three 40-minute walks or even six 20-minute sessions spread throughout your day.
Additionally, incorporate walking into your daily routine. Get in extra steps where you can by parking farther from entrances, taking the stairs or walking during phone calls.
Stretch and hydrate
Especially when gearing up for a longer walk, be sure to stretch for a few minutes before and after your walk to prevent soreness, Dr. Hakimi advises. Drink water regularly and significantly as you increase your walking time, he says.
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