Skip to main content

Natural Awakenings National

Jog or Walk to Live Longer: Add Years to Your Life

A slow jog around the block a few times a week can prolong life. The Copenhagen City Heart Study monitored 1,878 joggers for 30 years and found that 44 percent of these subjects are less likely to prematurely die from any cause than non-runners. Males and females that continued to jog regularly added 6.2 years and 5.6 years, respectively, to their average lifespans.

It only takes 1.5 hours of slow-to-average-pace jogging a week to reap the longevity benefits. Walking is also beneficial; the National Institutes of Health says it can add up to 4.5 years to the average life expectancy. Seventy-five minutes of brisk walking a week can add 1.8 years to life expectancy after age 40, according to study results cited in PLOS Medicine.

Join Our Community Newsletter