It’s the biggest killer out there.

Cardiovascular disease causes more deaths than anything else — yet much of it is preventable.

And most people think better heart health starts in the gym.

But here’s the reality:

• Many don’t enjoy structured workouts
• Most struggle with consistency
• And time is a major barrier

So the real question is:

Can daily movement — without stepping foot in a gym — still protect your heart?

New research says yes.

But it’s not just how much you move.

It’s how hard that matters too.

Here’s what the study found — and how to apply it in real life:

Can Non-Exercise Activity Boost Heart Health?

That’s the key question posed by new study in the journal Circulation.

We know exercise benefits cardiovascular disease risk.

But until now, no study has looked at whether — and how much — incidental activity impacts future heart health.

So researchers in this study analysed data from over 24,000 adults (mean age = 62) who didn’t do any formal exercise.

That’s right — these were non-exercisers.

The study used accelerometers (like fitness trackers) to measure movement from everyday life — walking, chores, errands, housework.

They then tracked cardiovascular health outcomes over almost 8 years, looking at:

• Strokes
• Heart failure
• Heart attacks
• Deaths from any cause
• Deaths from heart disease

The key finding?

Even without workouts, general movement impacted these outcomes.

But here’s the thing: intensity mattered too.

Question is, how much movement — and how intense — is needed to reduce your heart risk?

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Vigorous Movement = The Biggest Benefit

A little movement goes a long way — especially when it’s more intense.

Even short bursts of vigorous incidental activity had a big impact on cardiovascular outcomes.

We’re talking things like:

• Walking briskly uphill
• Climbing stairs quickly
• Carrying heavy shopping

You’ll note these aren’t workouts — just everyday tasks done with more effort.

Just 4–5 minutes per day of vigorous movement was linked to:

• 38% lower risk of dying from heart disease
• About half the risk of major cardiovascular events (like stroke or heart attack)

The sweet spot for vigorous activity was about 14 minutes per day.

Doing more didn’t add more benefit for cardiovascular outcomes.

But you can get a massive return for just 5 minutes of effort a day.

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Even Moderate Movement Packs a Punch

If daily vigorous effort isn’t realistic, that’s okay.

Because moderate activity works too.

This is movement that makes you breathe a bit harder than usual:

• Fast walking
• Light cycling
• Housework done with purpose
• Active commuting or walking meetings

Just 24 minutes per day of moderate incidental activity was linked to:

• 50% lower risk of dying from heart disease
• Big drops in stroke and heart failure risk too

The benefits were similar to vigorous activity — it just took a bit longer.

So how much longer?

This study found a simple trade-off:

• 1 minute of vigorous activity = 3 minutes of moderate activity

In other words, dial up the intensity, and you can get the same benefit in a third of the time.

When you move with intent, the payoff adds up fast.

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Light Movement Counts (You Just Need More Of It)

What about the low-effort stuff?

The things we do every day, like:

• Easy walking
• Casual standing or stretching
• Gardening or easy housework

Turns out it still helps — but the benefits were smaller, and you needed a lot more of it.

The benefits were only evident at 130+ minutes per day, but even then:

• The effect was modest
• Risk dropped a little — but not much

And to match the benefit of just 1 minute of vigorous activity, you’d need 35 to 48 minutes of light activity.

So yes — light movement counts.

But for incidental activity, intensity is key for bigger benefits.

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Putting It Into Context

This study flips the script on what it takes to protect your heart.

Just 4–5 minutes a day of vigorous incidental movement was linked to a 38% lower risk of heart disease death.

That’s less than half of what's recommended in exercise guidelines (75 minutes per week or about 10 minutes/day).

The benefits of incidental movement followed an L-shaped pattern — big gains with small amounts, before tapering off.

This differs from the more linear benefits seen when combining incidental movement with structured exercise.

So incidental activity doesn’t replace workouts.

But it reinforces the value of daily effort — and shows how incidental activity can complement structured exercise.

Together, all movement helps.

It just doesn’t have to be formal to count.

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Even Non-Exercise Activity Matters

This study drives home a powerful truth:

You don’t need a strict training plan to protect your heart.

You just need to move with a bit more purpose:

• Take the stairs — fast
• Walk briskly, not casually
• Carry heavy stuff instead of avoiding it

Let’s be clear: structured exercise is still the gold standard.

But if consistency is a challenge, don’t count yourself out.

Because even 5 minutes of intense daily movement could meaningfully boost your heart health.

Just start where you are — and move with intent.

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Once again, thanks for being here!

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Until next week,

Jackson

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IMPORTANT:

The information contained herein is of general nature only and does not constitute personal advice. You should not act on any information without considering your personal needs, circumstances, and objectives. Any exercise program may result in injury. We recommend you obtain advice specific to your circumstances from an appropriate health professional before starting any exercise program.