Current health recommendations suggest exercising for at least 2.5 hours each week, with 5 hours considered even better. For many people, that target can seem overwhelming.
But research from the past two decades suggests the amount of exercise needed for meaningful health benefits may be much lower than many assume. According to researchers, just 30 minutes of high intensity exercise per week can improve health. That works out to roughly 4.5 minutes per day or about 10 minutes every other day. The important part is intensity. The activity needs to be strenuous enough to leave you noticeably out of breath.
If you use a heart rate monitor, researchers say your heart rate should reach about 85 percent of your maximum. However, special equipment is not necessary. A simple way to judge intensity is by how difficult it is to talk. You should still be able to speak in short sentences, but you should not be able to sing or carry on a continuous conversation comfortably.
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