Walking 10,000 steps a day is a reasonable goal for everyone who wants to maintain their level of activity and benefit from regular movement. This suggestion has been around for a while and can be seen on a lot of fitness tools, especially heart monitors.
But for the benefit of cardiovascular health, a new study indicates there’s another activity measure we should be thinking about. Here’s why you should start using the stairs more frequently, along with a daily goal for how many flights you should take.
Daily Stair Climbing May Help Lower the Risk of Heart Disease
According to research, walking five flights of stairs or more every day can cut your risk of heart disease by 20% (1).
Researchers used existing risk factors and genetic information to assess the risk of cardiovascular disease in 450,000 persons by analyzing online data from the UK Biobank. The data also contained details regarding the individuals’ daily stair-climbing exercise and lifestyle choices.
Researchers discovered that climbing five flights of stairs helped counterbalance the risk for those who were predisposed to CVD and decreased the risk of CVD in adults who were less likely to develop heart disease.
Since it’s generally accepted that some stair climbing is preferable to none, the initial results might not come as a huge surprise. The truly shocking conclusion, though, is how much of an impact the very tiny number of flights climbed had on CVD risk.
Since heart disease is the leading cause of mortality in the United States, it is exciting and crucial for research to piece together prevention strategies (2).
It only takes a few minutes, so if you can climb five flights of stairs or more a day, it might be a worthwhile undertaking to support heart health.
These kinds of discoveries might also encourage urban designers to consider the possibility of a static staircase while yet offering accessible routes for individuals who require them.
Extra Tips to Promote Heart Health
Which will you select the next time you’re faced with an escalator or a staircase? Stepping up the stairs is only one method to help your heart stay healthy. Here are some more useful pointers:
Mix resistance and cardiovascular exercise. For the greatest total-body effects, the American Heart Association suggests combining cardiovascular and strength exercise. Although stair climbing is regarded as a cardiac exercise, it also strengthens your legs.
Achieve adequate restful sleep. Not only is sleep a critical component of heart health, but sleep disorders can have immediate and long-term effects on cardiovascular health outcomes (3). Insufficient sleep combined with erratic sleeping habits might cause sleep problems.
Make omega-3s a priority. Although Americans tend to under consume omega-3s, this is a nutrient that should be prioritized for heart health and other purposes. High amounts of marine omega-3s—that is, a serving containing at least 800 mg of EPA and DHA—found in fish oil supplements have been associated with improved cardiovascular health (4).
![How Daily Stair Climbing Can Cut Your Heart Disease Risk](https://i0.wp.com/jasminefeliciano.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/How-Daily-Stair-Climbing-Can-Cut-Your-Heart-Disease-Risk-pin.png?resize=683%2C1024&quality=80&ssl=1)
To Wrap Things Up
Adding daily stair climbing into your routine is a simple yet effective method to improve cardiovascular health and lower your risk of heart disease. This latest study highlights the considerable benefits of climbing just five flights of stairs each day, making it a realistic goal for many people.
Stair climbing, when combined with other heart-healthy behaviors like balanced exercise, proper sleep, and an omega-3-rich diet, can be an important component of a comprehensive approach to well-being. As heart disease remains a top cause of death, taking small, actionable steps is more crucial than ever. So, the next time you come across a staircase, use the opportunity to improve your heart health one step at a time.
Sources |
- Daily stair climbing, disease susceptibility, and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: A prospective cohort study – Atherosclerosis (atherosclerosis-journal.com)
- FastStats – Leading Causes of Death (cdc.gov)
- Sleep health composites are associated with the risk of heart disease across sex and race | Scientific Reports (nature.com)
- Long chain omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review | British Journal of Nutrition | Cambridge Core
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