Even Minimal Exercise Has Health Benefits

Many mistakenly believe that to be healthier you must set aside hours every week to exercise in a certain way. However, research says otherwise. According to a recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, “Less than five minutes of brief bouts of exertion in everyday life could have a significant effect on heart health, reducing the risk of serious cardiovascular events” (The Guardian, December 3, 2024). The key is to get the body moving, even if it is to raise your heart rate for only a short period of time.

While it is known that exercise sessions of greater duration often have significant health benefits, this new study illustrates the benefits of even short-term and intermittent bouts of intense exercise, such as climbing stairs. The study followed over 80,000 people in a nationwide UK study and reported encouraging findings: “Women who recorded a daily average of 3.4 minutes of intense activity, but reported no formal exercise, were 45% less likely to have a heart attack, stroke or heart failure compared with women who did not manage any activity.” The reality is that just minutes of exercise above normal activity levels have positive health benefits.

God created the human body, and it is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). He designed that body for motion, and it needs to move to stay healthy. We are responsible for the care of our bodies, which were designed to serve as “the temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 6:19). To learn more about God’s perspective on caring for our bodies, read or listen to Biblical Principles of Health.