It should come as no surprise that running is great for your health, and research has shown that it can even increase your likelihood of a longer life. You might assume that you need to be a marathon runner or a frequent pounder of the payment in order to see these life expectancy goals, but new research may prove otherwise.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined data from 14 running studies to get a better understanding of how running can impact our mortality rate. Researchers were somewhat surprised when they found just how little running was needed to significantly lower a person’s risk of early death. According to the study, almost any amount of running, even less than 50 minutes a week, lowered a person’s risk of early death by 27 percent. Moreover, any amount of running was linked to a 30 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease and a 23 percent lower risk of death from all types of cancer.
Some Running Better Than No Running
Another interesting tidbit from the study – running a significant amount may not be necessary in order to achieve the best results. Researchers said that running for less than 50 minutes a week or at a speed lower than a 10-minute mile still offered health benefits comparable to those with higher “doses” of running.
“This finding may be motivating for those who cannot invest a lot of time in exercise, but it should definitely not discourage those who already engage in higher amounts of running,” Željko Pedišić, Ph.D., an associate professor at the Institute for Health and Sport at Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, told Runner’s World.
Although there was no direct cause and effect found by the study, researchers pointed to a number of reasons why running can help reduce your risk of dying early. Running has been linked to a reduced risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
So if you want to live longer, consider going for a 15-20 minute jog a couple of times a week, because that’s all it takes to lower your risk. However, in order to help ensure you don’t injure your feet or another area of your body, make sure you set a steady pace and gradually increase your distance.