(NaturalHealth365)  Cardiovascular disease is the top cause of death in the country, ending the lives of nearly a million people per year.  Moreover, cardiovascular disease takes an economic toll, costing more than $400 billion annually.  This figure includes the economic earning power lost in productivity and direct healthcare costs.  The question begs: how can we improve heart health for longer, more enjoyable, and productive lives?

The answer might lie in weekend exercise.  Recent findings reveal concentrated exercise on weekends has the potential to significantly change the human heart for the better.

Get moving on the weekend, for your heart’s sake

Engaging in physical activity that is either vigorous or moderate in intensity is beneficial to heart health, even if that activity occurs on one or two days of the week.  The study referenced above reveals those who exercise merely two days per week decrease the risk of heart problems.

The findings reveal “weekend warriors” reduce the chances of heart failure, myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation, and even stroke.  Perhaps what is most surprising is such weekend warriors enjoy reduced rates of heart health problems when compared with those who engage in exercise that is evenly distributed across the entirety of the week.

Weekend Warriors: Redefining heart health with concentrated exercise

In a new study encompassing nearly 90,000 participants, researchers harnessed the power of accelerometers, precise instruments gauging movement acceleration, to analyze physical activity levels over almost three years.  The mean age of the study’s participants was 62, and an exact 56% comprised women.  Among the participants, one-third were deemed inactive, spending less than 150 minutes per week on moderate or vigorous physical activity.  In contrast, slightly over 42% emerged as “weekend warriors,” engaging in at least 150 minutes of exercise over one or two days.

Employing the Cox proportional hazards regression method, researchers meticulously adjusted for multiple variables and demographic information such as diet quality, health status, employment, alcohol use, race, ethnicity, sex, and age in the analysis of physical activity and its subsequent impact on heart health.

The fascinating findings illuminated a remarkable advantage for weekend warriors.  They enjoyed a 27% lower risk of heart attack, a 38% lower risk for heart failure, and a 22% lower risk for atrial fibrillation.  Additionally, the weekend warriors showcased a commendable 21% reduced risk of stroke, surpassing the 17% reduction observed in regular exercisers.  These compelling results spotlight the potential of concentrated exercise in transforming heart health, paving the way for a reimagined approach to cardiovascular well-being.

Why the study is important for you and your loved ones

The recommended standard for the average American is 150 minutes of either vigorous or moderate-intensity exercise each week.  However, a surprising revelation suggests that consolidating these minutes into just one or two days, as opposed to spreading them throughout the week, could offer even greater benefits for your body.

Instead of subjecting your body to daily or alternate-day physical duress, consider embracing a novel approach by limiting your exercise routine to just two days per week.  This intriguing concept challenges conventional thinking and opens the door to a potential game-changer in optimizing health outcomes.

Sources for this article include:

JAMAnetwork.com
Medicalxpress.com
Professional.heart.org