Exercising more than recommended is linked to a longer life, according to a study

How to measure the intensity of the exercise you perform?

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(CNN) --

According to a new study, a longer life may mean spending extra time exercising, beyond the recommended amount.

According to the World Health Organization, adults should get between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate physical activity or between 75 and 150 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week.

But people who exceed those levels live longer than those who don't.

Researchers analyzed more than 116,000 adults in a study published Monday in the academic journal Circulation of the American Heart Association.

Participants reported their leisure-time activities on questionnaires multiple times over 30 years, and the researchers estimated the association between exercise time and intensity with mortality rates.

The greatest reduction in premature death occurred in people who reported getting 150 to 300 minutes of vigorous physical activity per week or 300 to 600 minutes of moderate physical activity, or an equivalent mix of the two, said study author Dong Hoon Lee, a research associate in the department of nutrition at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

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"It is also important to note that we found no detrimental association between individuals who reported (more than four times) the minimum recommended levels of moderate and vigorous physical activity in leisure time in the long term," he added in an email.

Examples of moderate activity are brisk walking, mowing the lawn or playing tennis, while vigorous activity includes things like hiking, jogging or playing soccer, according to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

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The study results support current WHO physical activity guidelines, but also push higher levels to see even more longevity benefits, Lee said.

How to add more movement

You may be thinking, "10 hours a week of moderate activity sounds like a lot. There's no way I can do that with all my other responsibilities."

And yes, it may require some intentionality and effort.

But studies have also shown the best ways to incorporate exercise into routines to keep them sticking.

A mega-study published in December 2021 showed that the best exercise programs include planning when to exercise, receiving reminders, offering incentives, and discouraging missing more than one planned workout in a row.

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"If people hope to increase their physical activity or change their health behaviors, there are very low-cost behavioral ideas that can be incorporated into programs to help them achieve greater success," said lead author of the December study, Katy Milkman, James G. Dinan Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and author of "How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be."

And you don't have to add it all at once.

According to a study conducted in 2021, only 11 minutes of exercise a day influences the length of life.

You can take a brisk walk outside or on the treadmill, do four sets of a three-minute bodyweight exercise sequence, practice a series of yoga poses, or choose three upbeat songs to dance to, the contributor said. CNN fitness coach Dana Santas, certified strength and conditioning specialist and professional sports mind-body coach.

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