Exercise & Fitness

Everyday activities count as exercise, but intensity matters

In the journals

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch

photo of a senior man vacuuming a small area rug in front of his couch

Can doing short bursts of everyday activities offer health benefits?

Researchers used wrist activity trackers to measure daily activities of more than 25,000 people ages 42 to 78 who did not exercise formally. Activities were defined as any continuous movement done at a faster-than-normal pace: for example, taking stairs, mopping the floor, gardening, and playing energetically with children. Everyone's movements were tracked for one week, and the results were compared with their health status eight years later.

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About the Author

photo of Matthew Solan

Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch

Matthew Solan is the executive editor of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. He previously served as executive editor for UCLA Health’s Healthy Years and as a contributor to Duke Medicine’s Health News and Weill Cornell Medical College’s … See Full Bio
View all posts by Matthew Solan

About the Reviewer

photo of Howard E. LeWine, MD

Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing

Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio
View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD

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