There was no big difference in all-cause or cause-specific mortality between those who exercised regularly and those who exercised on weekends, as long as they did the same amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in a week, said study author Leandro Rezende, an assistant professor of epidemiology in the department of preventive medicine at the Federal University of Sao Paulo in Brazil.
“This is good news considering the weekend warrior physical activity pattern may be a more convenient option for many people to achieve recommended levels of physical activity,” Rezende said in an email.
As long as you’re getting the 150 minutes of exercise adults need each week, or more, exercising whenever you can can help lower your death rate, according to the study.
The results could help public health officials promote physical activity even among busy people and support the idea that “every minute of physical activity counts,” said Eric Shiroma, a staff scientist at the National Institute on Aging.
CNN fitness contributor Dana Santas often hears clients talk about their crazy weekday schedules as a reason not to work out.
“It’s understandable that they don’t want to sacrifice much-needed sleep by getting up early or wasting valuable family dinner time by hitting the gym right after work,” said Santas, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and mind-body coach. in professionals. Sports. “Those are valid concerns, as we all need sleep to function.
“And family dinners not only represent quality time, but also increase the odds of eating healthy instead of fast food.”
Other health impacts to consider
The mortality benefits of weekend exercise are great news for people with busy weekdays, Santas said. But there are advantages to exercising during the week.
The study didn’t take into account the sleep, injury or mental health impacts of regular daily exercise, so it’s important to keep that in mind, he added.
“Bodies are designed for movement,” Santas said. “Being sedentary throughout the week could increase susceptibility to injury if you push yourself too hard in your weekend workouts.”
With that in mind, it’s even more important for weekend warriors to make sure they warm up properly and pay attention to form, he said.
And a big part of many aspects of health is getting good sleep. Getting enough daily exercise can help our bodies naturally want to rest at the end of the day, Santas said.
That daily exercise to help sleep doesn’t necessarily have to make you sweaty and out of breath, but you should work on getting your breathing and heart rate up, he added.
That might mean spending 20 to 25 minutes on a brisk walk, bike ride or bodyweight exercises to get better sleep, Santas said.
Shiroma recommended five ways to keep physical activity a part of your life: Find small ways like taking the stairs; exercise the way you enjoy; make it social with friends; set and reward goals; and gradually rebuild when you get out of your rut.
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