How much exercise do you need to feel good? |
Exercise is non-negotiable for better health. From medical experts to fitness gurus, everyone agrees on the power of movement. Regular exercise is linked to improved digestive, heart, and brain health. It can not only improve physical health, but also boost mental health, and make you feel happy. But how often and how much should you exercise to feel well? Let’s take a look.
How many days should you exercise to see real physical benefits
Is it 10,000 steps a day, or 30 minutes of yoga practice? Low-intensity exercise or weight training? What is the magic number? The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, plus muscle-strengthening activities twice a week. But is it enough?A 2023 study by Edith Cowan University (ECU) researchers published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology looked at how often one needs to exercise to make it worth their while. The new study involved participants performing a single three-second, maximum-effort eccentric bicep contraction, similar to slowly lowering a heavy dumbbell, from a bent arm to a straight arm. A previous study by them showed that this exercise improved muscle strength when it was performed daily for five days a week (Monday – Friday), for four weeks.In the new study, the participants were split into two groups. The first group performed a single three-second contraction two days per week, and the other performed the same exercise on three days per week. The researchers compared the participants’ bicep strength after four weeks. They found that participants who performed the exercise two days per week saw no significant changes, however, the three-day group saw small but significant increases in concentric strength (2.5 per cent) and eccentric strength (3.9 per cent).“Our previous work has shown regular, shorter exercise is more beneficial than a one or two big training sessions in a week. Now, we have a clearer idea of where the tipping point is where you start to see meaningful benefits from such a minimal exercise. These new results suggest at least three days a week are required, at least for the single three-second eccentric contraction training,” Professor Ken Nosaka, lead author, said. This means three is good, but five is better. The improvements in strength was 10% more. However, this does not mean exercising every day would improve results even further.“Muscle adaptations occur when we are resting, so muscles need rest to improve their strength and their muscle mass. It should be noted that the exercise was only three seconds, so the rest between exercises in the study was close to 28,800 times more than the exercise time. But muscles do appear to like to be stimulated more frequently, especially for the small volume of muscle strengthening exercise,” Prof. Nosaka said. What does this mean? “Muscles enjoying frequent stimulation may not necessarily be the case for a greater volume of aerobic exercise to improve cardiovascular function, or muscle-strengthening exercise such as working out at a gym. However, it may be that exercising once a week for 2 hours is less effective than exercising every day for 20 minutes,” he said. “If it is not possible to have 20 minutes a day for exercise, even five minutes a day makes a difference for fitness and health. Of course, more studies are needed to confirm this, but our recent studies show the importance of accumulating small amount of exercise as frequently as possible in a week. It is important to note that even a very small amount of exercise can make a difference to our body, if it is performed regularly,” Prof. Nosaka added.
How long should you exercise for a better mood
The benefits of exercise go beyond physical health. It can improve your mood and make you feel happy. According to the NHS, regular exercise can boost your mood if you have depression. It’s especially useful for people with mild to moderate depression. “Any type of exercise is useful, as long as it suits you and you do enough of it. Exercise should be something you enjoy; otherwise, it will be hard to find the motivation to do it regularly.” While 150 minutes of exercise in a week is ideal, the agency stresses that any exercise is better than none. “Even a brisk 10-minute walk can clear your mind and help you relax.A recent study from The University of Texas at Arlington found that simply swapping 30 minutes of sitting for light activity can boost mood. “This study indicated that light activity—where you don’t have to go to the gym or do intense exercise—can lead to better feelings the next day when it replaces sedentary behavior. One doesn’t have to think, ‘I have to run,’ or ‘I have to do these big things.’ Just sitting less and moving more can have an immediate impact on your mood the next day,” UT Arlington kinesiology Professor Yue Liao said. 38% of US spends about nine or more hours sitting in a day. Replacing even half an hour of this sedentary habit with movement can pay off in meaningful ways.The idea is to move more, both for your body and mind.
