You’ve surely heard it said that any movement is good when it comes to our health, and research has certainly backed that up over the years. But let’s be honest: getting to the gym (or even going out on a walk) can be much easier said than done.

Heath experts say less than half of American adults are getting the recommended amount of aerobic physical activity…and the number drops to less than 25% if you count aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity. But wait! There is some good news if you’ve been skipping those workouts lately (or perhaps struggle to find a routine in the first place).

A new study published in the American Heart Association’s Circulation journal set out to see if people could benefit from “incidental” physical activity, further defined as “nonexercise activities that are done as part of daily living,” such as housework, transportation, work, or “other domestic activities.”

Because cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death globally (and in the U.S.), researchers and public health officials have long discussed the importance of exercise and its positive effects on the heart.

However, the study’s research team pointed out a key consideration: “Regular structured (leisure time) exercise may not be appealing or is inaccessible to many adults, and participation rates are typically low.”

They examined data from 24,139 “nonexercisers,” 56.2% of which were women. The participants, who had an average age of 61.9 years old, came from a two-year substudy, in which the participants wore an accelerometer (a device used to measure movement) on their wrists for a week.

The participants were, in part, selected if they reported no participation in structured exercise and a maximum of one recreational walk each week.

Though the study doesn’t thoroughly define what kind of activities count as “vigorous,” “moderate,” or “light,” the team did find that three to three and a half minutes of “moderate” incidental physical activity produced the same cardiovascular benefits as one minute of “vigorous” activity (or 35 to 48 minutes of light activity, though the risk reduction was less pronounced).

Additionally, the researchers said:

  • Vigorous activity in 4.6-minute doses daily was associated with a 25% to 38% reduced risk of cardiovascular events (including death).
  • For moderate activity, 23.8 to 23.9 minutes per day resulted in a 40% to 50% risk reduction.

The possible benefits of incidental physical activity have been largely unexplored, according to the study, given the activity “typically occurs in unplanned bouts lasting far less than 10 minutes.”

The results offer a new perspective, as the researchers concluded: “Our findings highlight the potential cardiovascular health value of incidental physical activity, especially for people who struggle to do structured exercise.”

So the next time you find yourself lacking in movement motivation, maybe grab that vacuum cleaner or take an extra lap around the grocery store—your heart might thank you!

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Molly Jasinski
Molly Jasinski has worked as a writer, editor and social media manager for almost 15 years. She previously worked as an editor for the magazine Birds & Blooms. She’s also held other positions at Trusted Media Brands, working on direct-to-consumer books, editing special interest publications, and assisting with digital production and social me...
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Molly Jasinski