Federal guidelines say U.S. adults should get at least 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity, or 150 minutes of less-intense activity, each week. But over the past few years, a slew of studies have promoted the benefits of getting much, much less exercise than that.
One 2022 study found that squeezing in just three one-minute bursts of vigorous activity each day could lead to a longer life. Another study, also published in 2022, linked 15 minutes of weekly physical activity to extended longevity. A 2019 paper went even further, arguing that just 10 minutes of weekly movement could help you live longer. These results are tantalizing—but also may seem a little too good to be true, given long-standing activity guidelines that recommend getting roughly 10 times as much exercise to stay healthy.
“There are probably people out there who are looking at this and saying, ‘Well, I’m not sure I