The Least Amount of Exercise You Need to Improve Your Heart Health
There’s no question that exercise is good for the heart. Regular exercise lowers blood pressure and cholesterol and reduces the chances of having a heart attack or stroke. But sometimes it can be hard to find the time (and motivation) to exercise. So, what’s the least amount of exercise you can get away with doing while still seeing these benefits? That answer depends on how fit you are to begin with.
A Small Amount Can Go a Long Way
Here’s some good news: the lower your starting point is in terms of fitness, the less you have to do to see a benefit. So, if you’re someone who’s completely sedentary, then only a small amount of exercise is needed to see a reduction in cardiac risk. From a starting point of virtually zero exercise, an hour or two a week of leisurely cycling or brisk walking might be all you need to reduce your risk of death from cardiovascular disease by as much as 20%.
As You Get Fitter, the Gains Diminish
But as you get fitter and increase the amount you exercise, the cardiovascular health gains diminish and eventually plateau. This is sometimes referred to as a J-shaped curve.
The Sweet Spot: Four Hours a Week
A sedentary person who goes from doing nothing to exercising a couple of hours a week will see the greatest reductions in cardiovascular risk during this period. If they increase the amount they exercise to four hours a week, there would be additional – albeit smaller – reductions in risk (around 10%). But the benefits to cardiovascular health appear to max out after 4-6 hours a week – with no additional gains beyond this point for everyone.
Intensive Exercise for Greater Benefits
However, one study in which sedentary people were trained to complete an endurance event, such as a marathon, found that once participants reached 7-9 hours a week of training, they saw noticeable changes in their heart’s structure. Training at this level gives the same reductions in cardiovascular risk as training 4-6 hours a week. But participants had an increase in their amount of heart muscle, as well as dilation of their cardiac chambers. The heart is like any other muscle: if trained enough, it will get bigger. These changes occurred as early as three months after starting.
Intensity Matters
The idea of going from never exercising to working out four hours a week can be daunting – especially if you don’t have much spare time. This is where the intensity of your workouts is important. If you want the biggest bang for your buck in terms of reducing cardiovascular risk, you need to break a sweat. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is one time-efficient way of maximising your returns from exercise. It’s typically a 20-minute workout comprising short, 30- to 60-second bursts of intense exercise followed by a brief rest in between.
A Word of Caution
A word of caution is needed if you have cardiovascular disease. There are several conditions – such as cardiomyopathy (genetic heart muscle disease), ischemic heart disease (narrowing of heart arteries) and myocarditis (heart inflammation, usually viral) – where strenuous exercise is advised against. People with these health conditions should stick to low- or moderate-intensity exercise. This will still be beneficial for your heart, while not putting you at risk of harm.
Time-Efficient Exercise
If finding time to exercise in the week is a challenge and you’re only able to work out at weekends, rest assured this is still beneficial. One retrospective study of over 37,000 people found those who did their week’s worth of physical activity over just 1-2 days had the same reduction in cardiovascular disease risk as those who did activity spread throughout the week.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the least amount of exercise you need to improve your heart health depends on your current fitness level. Even a small amount of exercise can make a big difference, especially if you’re starting from a sedentary point. As you get fitter, the benefits diminish, but intensity and consistency are key. Find a routine that works for you and stick to it, and you may just find yourself enjoying regular workouts.
FAQs
Q: What is the least amount of exercise I need to improve my heart health?
A: The answer depends on your current fitness level, but a small amount of exercise (1-2 hours a week) can be beneficial, especially if you’re starting from a sedentary point.
Q: Is it better to exercise more or less?
A: The sweet spot appears to be 4-6 hours a week, after which additional hours don’t yield greater benefits.
Q: Is high-intensity interval training (HIIT) effective?
A: Yes, HIIT can be an effective way to maximise your returns from exercise and reduce cardiovascular risk, but it’s important to consider your health condition and intensity level.
Q: Can I exercise at weekends and still see benefits?
A: Yes, research suggests that doing your week’s worth of physical activity over just 1-2 days can be just as effective as spreading it throughout the week.