Just 5 more minutes of exercise a day could help reduce risk of early death, study finds

A new study suggests that even small increases in daily physical activity could have a meaningful impact on health and longevity.

Researchers found that adding just five minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per day may help reduce the risk of early death — especially among people who are the least physically active. The findings, published in The Lancet, highlight how modest lifestyle changes can produce significant benefits when adopted across large populations.

The research analyzed data from tens of thousands of participants across multiple countries, examining how small increases in movement and reductions in sedentary time could influence mortality. Scientists estimated that if people who are least active added five minutes of daily movement, it could prevent about 6 percent of deaths. If similar changes were made across much of the population, the reduction could be closer to 10 percent.

Researchers also looked at the impact of sitting less. Cutting daily sedentary time by about 30 minutes was linked to additional reductions in mortality risk.

Health experts say the findings reinforce long-standing evidence that physical activity supports longer life and lowers the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, the study also offers an encouraging message: benefits do not require intense workouts or strict exercise goals.

Instead of focusing only on traditional fitness benchmarks, experts suggest thinking in terms of simple daily movement — walking, climbing stairs, or taking short activity breaks throughout the day.

The research emphasizes that health improvements exist on a continuum, and even small, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference over time.

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