Study: Regular Exercise Adds Years To Life Span
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – All that exercise will pay off, and could even add years to your life.
Canadian researchers recently found young adults who did 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week added up to five years to their lives.
Dr. Aaron Baggish is director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital.
He says exercise truly is medicine.
Those who stay active use fewer medications, are less likely to have depression and have better sleep and eating habits.
"Really, no matter what decade in life you start exercising, you're better off than were you to maintain a sedentary lifestyle. It applies whether you're in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th decade of life," Baggish said.
Doctors say some older men who start an exercise program could increase their risk of having a heart attack.
But, they say the benefits of regular exercise far outweigh that risk.