The five-minute change that could help you live healthier for longer
Small changes could give you an additional year of healthy life
- A large UK study involving nearly 590,000 people over eight years found that even minor lifestyle adjustments can significantly extend healthy life expectancy.
- Small changes, such as an extra five minutes of sleep and two minutes of physical activity daily, combined with modest dietary improvements, were linked to roughly one additional year of healthy life.
- More substantial changes, including an extra half-hour of sleep and four minutes of daily exercise, alongside further dietary improvements, were associated with up to four additional healthy years.
- A separate analysis indicated that healthier lifestyle patterns could reduce the risk of early death by 10 per cent, with a 64 per cent reduction for those consistently achieving seven to eight hours of sleep, a healthy diet, and increased physical activity.
- While the study used objective measurements for sleep and activity, limitations include short measurement periods and self-reported diet data, highlighting that broader social factors like wealth and education also significantly impact health outcomes.
Bookmark popover
Removed from bookmarks