Just 1.5 Minutes of Daily Vigorous Exercise Can Cut Heart Disease Risk, Study Finds

Simple activities like climbing the stairs or playing with your dog can be really good for your heart.

Short bursts of vigorous physical activity—lasting just 1.5 to four minutes—are linked to a lower risk of cardiovascular problems, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

“Our results show that even a little bit of higher intensity activity might help improve long-term cardiovascular health,” Emmanuel Stamatakis, PhD, a professor of physical activity and population health at the University of Sydney and first author of the study, told Verywell in an email.

Most adults don’t get enough physical activity. One big reason? Not enough time.

However, the new study suggests brief, high-intensity movements throughout the day can still support heart health. While this is not a “quick fix of the very complex problem of physical inactivity,” short bursts of movements may help some people develop a more consistent exercise habit over time, Stamatakis said.

Just 1.5 Minutes Can Make a Big Difference

The study found the strongest results among women: just 1.5 minutes of daily vigorous physical activity was linked to a 33% lower risk of heart attack and a 40% lower risk of heart failure.

Stamatakis suggested that women might “exert themselves more” than men during these short bouts of exercise, which might explain why the study’s findings were less pronounced for men. Another factor may be that women, on average, engage in less physical activity than men.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity each week, plus muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days a week. But a recent report found that only 20% of women meet these guidelines, compared to 28% of men.

“If women are starting at a lower level of activity level, performing these small bouts of physical activity could be very beneficial,” Benjamin Gordon, PhD, an instructional assistant professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida who was not involved in the study, told Verywell in an email.

Previous studies have also shown that bursts of vigorous activity can boost health. A 2022 study found that getting 15 to 20 minutes of high-intensity physical activity each week—less than three minutes per day—was associated with 16% to 40% lower rates of death from all causes, from cancer, and from cardiovascular disease.

The short bursts of activities help to break up sedentary behavior and challenge someone’s metabolism, Gordon added.

Adding ‘Incidental’ Physical Activities to Your Routine

The new study shows that the heart health benefits can come from “incidental physical activities,” which means that they can be incorporated into someone’s daily routine easily, Stamatakis said.

These “incidental” activities should increase your heart rate and leave you out of breath. Some examples include walking uphill, vigorous gardening, climbing stairs, sprints, or playing energetically with your kids or pets, he added.

In 2022, heart disease was related to one in five deaths in the United States. Regular exercise reduces heart disease risk by helping you maintain a healthy weight, lowering blood pressure, and strengthening the heart muscle.

Climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator doesn’t mean you won’t develop cardiovascular disease, but it’s a great way to start creating a more active lifestyle.

“I would say the most important thing is just break up sedentary activity and be more active throughout your day. That’s one of the biggest takeaways from the study,” Gordon said.

Many Americans drive to work, sit at a desk, and come home to relax on the couch. All of this sitting adds up to about eight hours each day. This type of inactive lifestyle can lead to inflammation, weight gain, poor blood circulation, and a variety of chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, and stroke.

“Any physical activity is better than no physical activity. Going out for a walk, even just getting up off the couch and going out on the porch to stand for a few minutes. You can make a drastic amount of difference with very small changes,” Gordon said.