Researchers say increasing physical activity, getting more sleep, and, importantly, sitting less can significantly reduce one’s chances of a second cardiac event.
The new research found that replacing 30 minutes of sedentary time with 30 minutes of any level of physical activity, or even 30 minutes of sleep, helps lower the chances of heart attack, coronary revascularization, or rehospitalization. The findings come from a new study published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
The study found that people with a daily average of more than 14 hours of sedentary behavior possessed more than two times the risk of experiencing another cardiac event.
The study examined around 600 people, ages 21 to 96. Replacing half an hour of sedentary behavior with light-intensity physical activity cuts the risk of a subsequent cardiovascular event or death by 50%. Replacing that same amount with moderate to vigorous daily physical activity offered even more pronounced results, cutting the risk by 61%.
Notably, even sleeping an extra half an hour instead of sitting for 30 minutes reduced the risk of adverse cardiovascular events by 14%.
“Current treatment guidelines after a cardiac event focus mainly on encouraging patients to exercise regularly,” said study lead author Keith Diaz, Ph.D., the Florence Irving Associate Professor of Behavioral Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City, per a May 19 American Heart Association news release.
“In our study, we explored whether sedentary time itself may contribute to cardiovascular risk.”
As it turns out, sitting is bad for your heart and your brain, too.
Earlier this month, The Dallas Express reported that people who spend too much time sitting each day were linked to greater brain shrinkage over time. The study, conducted by researchers from the Memory and Alzheimer’s Center at Vanderbilt University, even found the phenomenon present in adults who engage in regular exercise.