No Time for Exercise? Doctor Says Brisk Stair Climbing, Rushing for the Bus, and Carrying Heavy Objects Also Bring Benefits
Dr. Yen Tso-Hua shared that for those lacking time to exercise, incorporating Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA)—such as brisk stair climbing—for just 5 minutes a day can significantly reduce mortality and cancer risks.
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Family medicine physician Dr. Yen Tso-Hua shared today via a press release that one of the most common concerns he hears in his clinic is, "Doctor, I really don't have time to exercise." For busy office workers or elderly individuals with declining physical strength, achieving the goal of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week or 10,000 steps a day often causes doubled stress, leading many to give up on all physical activities entirely.
However, Dr. Yen pointed out that in recent years, an exciting new concept has emerged: medical research has proposed "Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity" (VILPA). This means that even without a regular exercise habit, simply incorporating brief but higher-intensity activities into daily life—such as walking briskly up the stairs, running to catch a bus, carrying heavy objects, or doing housework at a faster pace—can still yield health benefits.
To verify whether brief and fragmented daily activities can truly trigger physiological adaptation mechanisms, the research team analyzed data from the UK Biobank spanning nearly 7 years, involving over 25,000 individuals with an average age of about 61.8 who did not have exercise habits. They found that engaging in VILPA just 3 times a day, accumulating a total of about 4 to 5 minutes, can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality and cancer mortality by about 26% to 30%, with an even greater reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
Dr. Yen explained that this study indicates that for people without exercise habits, the health benefits of "burst-like micro-exercises" are on par with those of participants who specifically go to the gym. This provides a more feasible direction for groups lacking time to exercise, encouraging everyone to simply put a little more enthusiasm and energy into handling daily chores to bring substantial protection to their health.
To implement the VILPA concept, Dr. Yen outlined four practical principles. First, make good use of fragmented time in life. There is no need to deliberately set aside time; try brisk stair climbing or short jumping jacks to raise your heart rate, sustaining it for 1 to 2 minutes each time.
Second, accumulate in small amounts multiple times. Performing such vigorous activities just 3 to 4 times a day, totaling about 5 minutes, can significantly lower overall mortality and cardiovascular disease risks. Third, intensity is more critical than time. The key lies in the "vigorousness" of the activity at that moment. When walking briskly, try to reach a state of feeling slightly warm, slightly out of breath, and experiencing an accelerated heart rate, which can induce health-protecting physiological responses.
Fourth, build resilience progressively. For those with chronic joint pain or who are sedentary for long periods, starting with micro-burst activities a few times a day is the simplest and most economical way to gradually strengthen cardiopulmonary function and muscle stability. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150420
However, Dr. Yen pointed out that in recent years, an exciting new concept has emerged: medical research has proposed "Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity" (VILPA). This means that even without a regular exercise habit, simply incorporating brief but higher-intensity activities into daily life—such as walking briskly up the stairs, running to catch a bus, carrying heavy objects, or doing housework at a faster pace—can still yield health benefits.
To verify whether brief and fragmented daily activities can truly trigger physiological adaptation mechanisms, the research team analyzed data from the UK Biobank spanning nearly 7 years, involving over 25,000 individuals with an average age of about 61.8 who did not have exercise habits. They found that engaging in VILPA just 3 times a day, accumulating a total of about 4 to 5 minutes, can reduce the risk of all-cause mortality and cancer mortality by about 26% to 30%, with an even greater reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.
Dr. Yen explained that this study indicates that for people without exercise habits, the health benefits of "burst-like micro-exercises" are on par with those of participants who specifically go to the gym. This provides a more feasible direction for groups lacking time to exercise, encouraging everyone to simply put a little more enthusiasm and energy into handling daily chores to bring substantial protection to their health.
To implement the VILPA concept, Dr. Yen outlined four practical principles. First, make good use of fragmented time in life. There is no need to deliberately set aside time; try brisk stair climbing or short jumping jacks to raise your heart rate, sustaining it for 1 to 2 minutes each time.
Second, accumulate in small amounts multiple times. Performing such vigorous activities just 3 to 4 times a day, totaling about 5 minutes, can significantly lower overall mortality and cardiovascular disease risks. Third, intensity is more critical than time. The key lies in the "vigorousness" of the activity at that moment. When walking briskly, try to reach a state of feeling slightly warm, slightly out of breath, and experiencing an accelerated heart rate, which can induce health-protecting physiological responses.
Fourth, build resilience progressively. For those with chronic joint pain or who are sedentary for long periods, starting with micro-burst activities a few times a day is the simplest and most economical way to gradually strengthen cardiopulmonary function and muscle stability. (Editor: Chen Ching-fang) 1150420