The 'Time Efficient' Exercise That Studies Back For Healthy Ageing

Most of us know that regular exercise can help us to age more healthily and might even add years to our lives.

Staying active has been linked to less age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia), which may mean a lower likelihood of falls, frailty, and dementia. 

We also know that a variety of exercises, from “balance training” to “walking football”, can help to achieve these health benefits. 

Some studies say that vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity (VILPA) workouts may be an especially “time-efficient and behaviourally sustainable” approach to lowering mortality risk.

What is VILPA?

VILPA involves short bursts of intense activity. It’s a bit like a “scaled-down version of high-intensity interval training (HIIT),” the Institute of Sport, Exercise, and Health said. 

But you don’t need a gym to do VILPA workouts. Just ramping up your activity during everyday tasks, like walking to the shops or gardening, counts. 

The “bursts” last one to two minutes at a time and are integrated into your everyday life.

Some examples include: 

• Bursts of running or fast walking during your usual stroll
• Taking the stairs instead of using the lift
• Carrying heavy shopping bags or children
• Playing vigorously with pets
• Enthusiastic bursts of cleaning or gardening

What are the health benefits of VILPA? 

It’s remarkable how beneficial mere minutes of VILPA can be for our health, particularly as we age.

Some research showed that just three to four one-minute bursts of activity a day is linked to a 40% lower risk of premature death from all causes, and a 49% lower risk of cardiovascular death compared to doing no activity at all.

A separate paper found that VILPA might help to offset the heart health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Another study focusing on adults transitioning into retirement found that 12 weeks of the exercise style upped their physical activity levels.

Not only that, but because it’s really fast and is designed to be built into your day-to-day life, those who try VILPA are very likely to stick to it.

There are some caveats, though: multiple studies have called for larger and longer-lasting trials to confirm their results, and we shouldn’t try to replace existing exercise recommendations with VILPA alone. 

But if you’re not a fan of the gym and/or can’t see yourself buying a running vest any time soon, VILPA can be an easy, speedy way to introduce potentially health-boosting movement into your day without having to change your whole routine.