Just 5 Minutes of Walking Daily Cuts Death Risk by 30%

Imagine adding years to your life with just five extra minutes of walking each day. That's exactly what researchers discovered in a groundbreaking study published in The Lancet.

Scientists tracked over 135,000 people with an average age of 64, using wearable devices to measure their actual movement throughout the day. For the least active 20% of participants, adding just five minutes of brisk walking daily reduced their risk of premature death by a stunning 30%.

The research team, led by Ulf Ekelund of the Norwegian School of Sport Science, found that small changes pack the biggest punch for sedentary people. Increasing daily activity from one minute to six minutes delivered that 30% risk reduction, while those already exercising nine minutes who added five more saw an 18% drop in mortality risk.

The study revealed another simple win: reducing sitting time by 30 minutes daily through short walks every hour could prevent between 3% and 7% of premature deaths. If the least active people adopted this habit, 6% of deaths in that high-risk group could be avoided.

A companion study from the University of Sydney explored how sleep, exercise, and nutrition work together. The results showed that health improvements multiply when you make small changes in all three areas at once.

To gain one full year of life expectancy, people need only sleep five more minutes daily, exercise two extra minutes, and add half a serving of vegetables to their diet. Achieving the same result through sleep alone would require 25 additional minutes of rest each night.

The Ripple Effect

These findings could transform how healthcare systems approach disease prevention. The research used objective data from accelerometers rather than relying on participant memory, making the results more accurate than previous studies.

The Sydney team calculated that sleeping 24 more minutes daily, exercising four extra minutes, and adding vegetables, whole grains, and two weekly fish servings could extend disease-free life by four years. Those who optimized all three habits gained almost 10 years of healthy life compared to people with the worst habits.

Experts note that while the studies show strong associations, they're observational and can't prove direct cause and effect. Aiden Doherty from Oxford University still recommends aiming for WHO guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate activity weekly, but celebrates that these findings prove "every movement counts."

The research offers hope for millions struggling to meet traditional exercise goals, showing that even the smallest steps toward better health deliver real, measurable benefits.