Four Minutes of HIIT Might Increase Life Expectancy Says Study
The study took place over five years and studied three groups of people
A study conducted by scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology has recently revealed that even four minutes of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) if done daily, can help to increase life expectancy. The study was published in The BMJ. The study took place over five years and studied three groups of people.
The first group was asked to walk for half an hour every day while the second was asked to do an exercise session of 50 minutes every day. Things were different for the third group as people in this group were asked to start a bi-weekly HIIT program as per which they needed to follow a four, four, four format. It means that the group had to spend four minutes in strenuous exercise, take four minutes of rest and do it four times.
The findings from the study about HIIT
Most of the volunteers who signed up for the study were healthier as compared to most 70-year-old. Some of them had heart disease, cancer, or other serious health concerns. Most of them walked regularly or were physically active. Some of them were even obese. All of them agreed to start an exercise and do it regularly for five years.
For the study, the researchers decided to work with older participants as it made it likely that some of them might die during the research. In the time of five years, less than 5% died. It was lower than the average mortality rate in the area. The research highlighted that devoting time to exercise like HIIT can help enhance life expectancy.
The study also revealed that men and women in the third group, who did HIIT were 2 to 3 per cent less likely to die as compared to people in first and second groups. Dr Dorthe Stensvold it is proof that “We should try to include some exercise with high intensity. Intervals are safe and feasible for most people. And adding life to years, not only years to life, is an important aspect of healthy ageing, and the higher fitness and health-related quality of life from HIIT in this study is an important finding.”
If this has motivated you to start with HIIT too, you should know that you can do the exercises even at home with basics like jumping rope, doing mountain climbers, etc. Doing HIIT regularly may or may not increase your lifespan, but it will certainly help you meet your health resolutions in 2021.
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