The common misconception about exercise is that it requires pain and tears and takes up a lot of energy and time. As such, cardiologists say that the actual time needed for people to exercise to stay healthy isn't as high as people think.
Cardiovascular Diseases
According to Newsweek, cardiovascular disease is a prevalent cause of death, and one reason for this, aside from unhealthy food, is poor overall health in general. As such, scientists have recommended that people exercise more, and now they've come up with exactly how much is needed.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that cardiovascular disease is the cause of death for one person every 33 seconds. This equates to around a fifth of all US deaths and was cited as the leading cause of death for men, women, and more.
Dying of heart disease was also considered the top cause of death for US citizens of most racial and ethnic groups. However, scientists say that this can be prevented or the risk minimized by committing to a short exercise period per week.
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How Much Exercise Do We Need?
Scientists estimated that people only need to commit to 150 minutes of exercise a week, meaning just around two and a half hours weekly. If people wanted to break it down to a daily routine, this would mean someone only needs to exercise at least 22 minutes daily.
CNBC shares data from the National Institutes of Health regarding the best length of exercise, which points to 25 minutes daily or at least 21 to 42 minutes daily of vigorous physical activity. Scientists say that exercising 150 minutes weekly increases a person's chance of fighting off severe heart-related problems.
Newsweek talked with Sushant Khaire and Kimberly Campbell, two leading cardiologists, to explain why this was the minimal length that somebody needed to exercise.
Khaire, a cardiologist based in Memphis, said physical activity lowers a person's risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions. She said that physical exercise helps improve the condition of someone's heart.
She says that through training one's blood and circulatory system, one would be able to prevent the onset of different cardiovascular diseases. This happens when the body's system becomes more efficient and stronger long-term.
Type of Exercise Needed
Campbell, a Philadelphia cardiology consultant, also backs up the 150 minutes of weekly exercise. She highlights that the 150 minutes is for moderate-intensity aerobics, but if people engage in vigorous aerobic activity, they would only need 75 minutes of exercise weekly.
Campbell then said that people should develop a light sweat in about 10 minutes of exercise, but when vigorously working out, the activity needs to result in deep and rapid breathing. Vigorous activity should result in people being able to say only a few 3words without pausing.
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