Side Effects of Exercising Just 5 Minutes per Day
If you're in a time crunch but want to squeeze in a speedy workout, you'll be surprised to learn there are many benefits to exercising just five minutes every day—science says so! Whether you choose to perform a quick workout at home or head outdoors for a run, listen up. Once you learn the perks of getting in brief physical activity, you won't want to skip out on this healthy fitness time.
Working from home just got a whole lot more exciting. You can take a fast break and feel very accomplished by carving out time for a mini-workout. And if you have a busy workday at the office, it's very doable to dedicate just five minutes to self-care in the morning or when you get home.
As with any exercise routine, consistency is key. So rather than feel pressured to spend a good chunk of each day on fitness, do what you can do. The important thing is that you just get to it! Read on to learn the side effects of exercising five minutes every day.
Sprinkle five-minute workouts into your day, and you'll likely feel fuller.
It's also just as effective to break out your workout into several smaller sessions throughout the day rather than doing one long workout. A study published in the journal Obesity observed a group of individuals who performed an hour of exercise every day (group one), along with another group who completed 12 five-minute workouts per day (group two). Both groups had very comparable results. But it's interesting to note that participants in the intermittent exercise group two experienced greater feelings of fullness throughout the day—32% fuller, to be exact—than those who didn't exercise. So basically, by performing five-minute exercise sessions that were sprinkled into each day, participants felt fuller as well as less hungry.
Extend your life by running for just five minutes every day.
According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, going for a five- to 10-minute run daily is enough to help you live longer. This popular form of physical activity was found to reduce death due to cardiovascular and other causes by as much as 29% to 50% in active runners. A simple five-minute run may inspire "healthy but sedentary individuals" to put on their sneakers and head outside for some strides!
The intensity of a five-minute workout can positively impact your weight.
According to a study published in the American Journal of Health Promotion, University of Utah, getting in brief bouts of exercise above a particular intensity level can positively impact your weight just as much as the recommended 10+ minutes. So five minutes really can do the trick!
Professor of family and consumer studies at the University of Utah, Jessie X. Fan, explained the findings of the study, noting, "What we learned is that for preventing weight gain, the intensity of the activity matters more than duration. This new understanding is important because fewer than five percent of American adults today achieve the recommended level of physical activity in a week according to the current physical activity guidelines. Knowing that even short bouts of 'brisk' activity can add up to a positive effect is an encouraging message for promoting better health."
