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A new study shows that doing just 60 seconds of high-impact, weight-bearing activity a day will give you stronger bones.
You have a minute or so to spare. Would you a) go for a run or b) scroll through your social media feed?
Obviously b) seems like the more sensible option. But wait a minute.
New research in the UK found that women who did 60 to 120 seconds of high-intensity weight-bearing activity every day had four per cent better bone health than those who clocked less than a minute.
Needless to say, the benefits increased the more they exercised; those who did more than two minutes had six per cent better bone health.
Examples of high-intensity weight-bearing exercises include running and jumping.
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So which mode of exercise is more beneficial: Short bouts with high frequency, or longer sessions with a lower frequency?
“We don’t yet know whether it’s better to accumulate this small amount of exercise in bits throughout each day or all at once, and also whether a slightly longer bout of exercise on one or two days per week is just as good as one to two minutes a day,” said lead author Dr Victoria Stiles, of the University of Exeter.
One thing’s for sure: The more you move, the bigger the pay-off.
To get more high-intensity, weight-bearing exercises into your routine, run instead of walk when you’re taking the stairs, getting to the bus-stop, heading out for lunch, and even to your office printer.
Remember, every second counts.
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This story was originally published on Shape.com.sg.
