Minimal effort, maximum impact: Live longer with just 5 minutes a day

Just five extra minutes of exercise a day can noticeably reduce the risk of premature death – without any sport, training, or significant lifestyle changes.

The elevator takes a little longer. The stairs are right next to it. It could be two or three floors. You encounter such decisions every day – whether at the office, in the stairwell, or on your way to the train. Often, they are inconspicuous moments that are quickly forgotten. This is precisely where a finding based on objective calculations, easily integrated into everyday life, comes in: Even minor adjustments to daily movement can significantly reduce mortality. It’s not about intensive training or elaborate exercise programs, but simply about a few minutes.

A comprehensive international analysis of exercise data, published in The Lancet, highlights the impact of even the most minor changes—people who have previously been mainly sedentary benefit significantly. Just five extra minutes of exercise per day can demonstrably reduce the risk of death. These additional minutes can easily be integrated into a typical workday.

How five more minutes of exercise can affect mortality

The study is based on data collected using motion sensors. These devices precisely record how active people actually are and how long they sit. In total, information from over 135,000 adults from Scandinavia, the USA, and Great Britain was analyzed. The average follow-up period was eight years.

The results are precise: If people with very low activity levels increase their daily moderate-to-vigorous exercise by just 5 minutes, the mortality rate theoretically drops by about 6%. If a large majority takes this small step, the effect could reach around 10%. This refers to everyday activities, such as brisk walking at about 5 kilometers per hour.

Those who benefit most from small changes

Those who benefit most are people who have previously been sedentary. In this group, just a few minutes are enough to achieve a noticeable improvement. The reason for this lies in the body’s biological response: Initially, the body is susceptible to physical activity. Even light exertion promotes circulation, metabolism, and muscle function. However, these positive effects diminish as activity increases.

Even ten extra minutes of exercise per day has a significant impact. In the general population, this could reduce mortality by approximately 15 percent. Among the least active individuals, the effect is around nine percent. The most important thing is getting started – perfection is not crucial.

Furthermore, less sitting also has positive effects. Reducing daily sitting time by 30 minutes can lower the risk of death by three to seven percent. An hour less sitting further enhances this effect. Nevertheless, the comparison clearly shows that short bursts of exercise are more effective than simply shortening sitting time.

A large portion of sitting time is spent at the workplace. Eight to ten hours a day is not uncommon. However, studies on work environments show that minor adjustments can reduce sitting time by 40-100 minutes per day. These include shorter walking distances, standing breaks, and movement between appointments.

Why were previous assessments insufficient?

Previous calculations were often based on ideal values ​​and assumed that people fully adhered to the World Health Organization’s recommendations – at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. However, this assumption does not reflect the reality for many people.

Furthermore, there is a methodological problem: Previous studies often relied on self-reported data, which tends to underestimate movement and overestimate activity. Sensor-based measurements, on the other hand, provide a more accurate picture and show that even movements below the recommended thresholds have positive effects.

Results are independent of countries and age groups

The analysis encompasses several extensive population studies and considers factors such as age, pre-existing conditions, smoking, and body weight. To avoid bias, deaths within the first two years were excluded. The results are consistent across different countries and age groups.

The study was conducted under the direction of Ulf Ekelund. However, the authors note that the data are observational, so causality cannot be definitively established. Furthermore, mobility limitations could mitigate specific effects. Overall, however, the results present a compelling picture.

The key point is that the barrier to entry is low. No special programs, memberships, or New Year’s resolutions are required. Five minutes can be found almost anywhere in everyday life – and they add up over weeks and years.

Summary:

• Even five minutes of additional exercise per day can significantly reduce the risk of death, especially in people who have previously been low-intensity; short bursts of exercise are more effective than simply reducing sitting time.
• The results are based on international long-term research using directly measured movement data and relate to everyday activities such as brisk walking.
• Getting started is crucial – top athletic performance is not required: Small changes in everyday life have a surprisingly significant impact on health at the population level.

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