Mixing up your workouts might help you live longer, says new study
A major study just found that doing a mix of different physical activities—not just sticking to one—can actually lower your risk of dying early.
And the study found that greater variety of activities was associated with lower mortality independent of total physical activity levels; higher total activity was also linked with lower mortality, so an active lifestyle remains important.
What the research looked at
Researchers tracked over 110,000 adults (both women and men) for 30 years.
Participants were free of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer at baseline, and their activity habits were followed as part of two big health studies.
Which activities made the biggest impact?
Walking regularly was linked to a 17% drop in death risk for top walkers compared to those who walked least.
Climbing stairs cut risk by 10%, playing tennis or similar sports by 15%, and weight training by 13%.
Why mixing it up matters
People who did several types of exercise—not just one—had a 19% lower overall risk of dying.
The benefits showed up even after accounting for how much time they spent being active.
The takeaway? Switching up your workouts could be a simple way to boost your chances at a longer, healthier life.