Why a Short Burst of Exercise can Help you Cut the Risk of Premature Death

The causes of premature death are almost identical around the world. Accidents are a common cause but they are beyond control and unforeseen. The health problems that cause the most premature deaths in the United Kingdom are cancer, heart disease or cardiovascular ailments, stroke, lung disease or respiratory ailments and liver disease. In the United States, the most common health ailments are cancer, heart disease, stroke and chronic lower respiratory diseases. All these health problems have a direct causal relationship with lifestyle. These are not always classified as lifestyle diseases or ailments but how well you treat your body, if you are taking care of your health every day, what you eat, how much you exercise and your addictions, from alcohol to tobacco consumption among others, will have a direct impact on your lifespan.

The Correlation between Lack of Exercise and Premature Death

Sedentary lifestyle is the norm of the twenty-first century. Prolonged sitting would not only make one vulnerable to obesity, it would also have a direct impact on all vital organs and functions. Sedentary lifestyle adversely affects heart rate, blood pressure, health of arteries, lung capacity, muscle strength, bone density, lymphatic functions, gastrointestinal health, liver and kidney functions, hormonal balance, regulation of bad cholesterol and even blood flow to the brain. These are just some of the many problems of a sedentary lifestyle. The remedy is simple. You need to get enough exercise. Going to the gym once or twice a week will not be sufficient. Playing some sport on the weekend will also be unable to compensate the ill effects of weeklong sitting or inactivity.

How Exercise affects Vital Organs and Functions

Scientists and doctors have written thousands of pages documenting the comprehensive findings of innumerable clinical studies establishing the direct effect of exercise on the functioning of vital organs. Let us just list a few consequential impacts and even that would not be scratching the surface. Exercise is quintessential for a stronger heart. Your heart rate needs to be healthy or optimal throughout the day. It should peak when you are active. It should not be lower than normal and it should not increase when you are stationary or physically inactive. If your heart rate is spiked when you are sitting, even if you are working on something at your desk, then you have a problem.

The heart is one of the most important vital organs in the human body. It is also the most immediate beneficiary of exercise. Every moderate to rigorous exercise has a direct impact on the heart rate. Hence, there is an impact on the blood pressure. Exercise regulates blood glucose levels. It aids digestion. Exercise improves kidney and liver functions. It also increases flow of blood to the brain. You would be at a much reduced risk of suffering a stroke if you exercise regularly. However, if you are already ailing and have weak vital organs then severe exercise may not be for you, as that will raise the chances of stroke or cardiac arrest.

Short Burst of Exercise and Premature Death

The fact that working out for an hour or longer every day or four times a week will reduce the chances of premature death is undisputed. There is enough evidence to suggest that short burst of exercise can also have the same impact. You don’t have to work out for an hour or longer at a stretch. The duration is actually a reason why most people don’t manage to stay on course of a fitness program. You don’t need to run five miles. You don’t need to hit the gym for an hour and a half. You can allocate ten minutes or even less, several times a day for short bursts of exercise. You can do this at home, at work and en route.

Short bursts of exercise will instantly increase your heart rate. It would momentarily increase the blood pressure but regular short bursts of exercise will reduce chronically high blood pressure. Any activity raises blood pressure. That is natural so you should not worry about a spike during activity. Your blood pressure when you are idle matters more. Short bursts of exercise would increase metabolism. They would flex your muscles and help you to maintain optimum bone density. The lymphatic system will receive a boost so your body will be able to extract the toxins from various parts and eventually get rid of them.

Types of Exercises you can Consider for these Short Bursts

You can do burpees, jumping jacks, different types of planks, pushups, pull-ups, sit-ups, lunges and squats. These exercises don’t need any tools or equipment. You can do them in the smallest of spaces where you can accommodate your stretching self. You can walk up and down the stairs instead of taking the elevators. You can sprint from the parking lot to your office. You can jog or brisk walk to your neighborhood store. You should clock at least three hours of such activities or exercises every week. That is less than half an hour every day. Six bursts of five minutes each would be sufficient in twenty four hours.