11th June 2026
The benefits of exercise for our physical and mental wellbeing are well documented. But if you thought intense, lengthy workouts were the only way to achieve improved fitness, it could be time to think again.
Fresh research has revealed that just five minutes of daily moderate exercise, for example brisk walking, cycling or stair climbing, could have a strong impact on longevity and general health. It could even avoid up to one in 10 premature deaths, meaning millions could potentially live for longer.
This small increase in itself, of course, doesn’t necessarily guarantee a long, healthy life, yet it could lead to significant improvements compared to doing nothing. It’s also worth noting that if you’re already comparatively fit, working out for an extra five minutes a day will probably have less impact. But this research shows the value of even very brief periods of exercise.
The new study analysed data from 150,000 adults across the UK, US and Scandinavia. Lead author Ulf Ekelund commented: “It was surprising that small changes in physical activity of five minutes per day had such a large impact on reducing the risk for premature mortality."
He added that exercise should be tailored to personal preference and ability and stressed the importance of starting gently and building up workouts.
And while people should still aim for the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended 150 minutes of weekly moderate-intensity exercise, adding more movement into your life where possible can still make a real difference.
Equally, reducing inactivity, a key factor behind chronic disease and earlier mortality, was found to be of benefit. Spending half an hour less sitting down daily, for example, was found to reduce early death across the population by around 7%.
Then there’s the increasingly popular concept of exercise ‘snacking’, in which you do brief bursts of activity throughout the day, which may be easier to integrate into your life than, say, a regular gym class, precisely because they can be spread out across your day.
Examples of the ‘snacks’ could include:
Over time, ‘snacktivities’ like these can become learned habits, which you come to do without thinking.
And don’t underestimate the importance of walking. While you may think 10,000 daily steps is the gold standard, one study has found that taking far fewer (between 2,517 and 2,735 steps) reduces cardiovascular risk by 11% compared to walking just 2,000 steps a day.
What’s more, this is not the only study showing the disproportionately beneficial impact small amounts of exercise can have, and of incorporating movement into our daily routines.
The value of ‘little and often’ approach to workouts is also highlighted by separate research from the University of Sydney, the first of its kind to look at sleep, exercise and diet together, which found that:
At leading provider of outdoor gym equipment, we have previously written about the importance of completing a variety of exercise to boost life expectancy. Also, how physical activity can help combat a decline in life expectancy which has been witnessed across England in recent years.
We supply gyms under the sky for schools, parks, recreation grounds and others. Plus our fully compliant, high-quality outdoor gym equipment all come with a guarantee lasting a quarter of a century and suit exercisers of all abilities and fitness levels. Outdoor gyms are free at the point of use for the whole community, and people enjoy all the benefits of working out outside.
Browse our website to learn more and get in touch for an initial conversation, or if you have any questions.
