Study Claims You Can Increase Your Lifespan By Doing This One Simple Activity

It is a well-established fact that exercise leads to longevity. However, spending money in opulent gyms, fitness classes and paying marathon instructors isn't the only way. You can add days, if not years to your life by doing this one simple thing—climbing the stairs.

A new study, published in The Journal Of Cachexia, Sarcopenia, and Muscle, found that climbing six to 10 steps every day can extend your life by up to 55 days. The study involving 280,423 participants revealed that climbing stairs at home can significantly reduce the risk of premature death. During the study period, 9,445 deaths were recorded.

Participants who climbed more than five flights of stairs daily experienced a lower risk of early mortality compared to those who did not climb stairs. The optimal benefit was observed among individuals climbing 6–10 flights per day. This reduction in risk translates to an additional 44 to 55 days of survival.

Starting An exercise programme is Daunting, But You Can Do It

Just like any other routine, starting any exercise programme can be daunting. You might see people taking extreme resolutions like completely going off sugar or following a keto diet. However, keeping a healthy lifestyle does not require it. A little alteration in your daily activities is enough. The little things that we do, like parking farther away from the store, taking the stairs, or setting an alarm to stand up and do 10 squats every 20 minutes during the workday, can add up to make a huge difference.

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A 2022 article in Nature Medicine indicated that those few minutes of exercise do make a difference. People who engaged in short bursts of activity of one to two minutes each day lowered their cancer mortality risk by up to 40% and their cancer mortality risk by almost 50%.

How To Create Healthier Habits

You can start by habit stacking, where you add something to a behaviour you already do. This might mean doing 10 pushups after brushing your teeth or doing as many bodyweight squats as you can while you wait for your tea to steep.

It is also important to find someone who will become your ally in making your new habits stick. For example, you can have a running buddy who can periodically check on you and also give you company.

Another tool is replacing an old habit with a new one. When you remove a bad habit, it's very important to fill that void with a replacement or else you can create a vacuum effect that backfires. For instance, if you decide to quit soda, it is important to replace it with something like fruit water or anything or else the void can push you to get back to your older habit.

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