Walk smarter not harder: Fewer, longer walks could be better for your heart, says study

New research suggests longer walking sessions offer greater heart and longevity benefits than short bursts, especially for inactive adults. (Image: Pexels)

For years, you’ve been told to keep moving. Take the stairs. Go out for five minutes. Take a few steps wherever you can. But new research suggests that this advice may be missing something important. It turns out that walking, like many things in life, may work better when it’s given time.

Walking was once about totals. Ten thousand steps was considered a magic number, chased in fragments between meetings and chores. However, a long-running UK study now suggests that those fragments may not be doing as much good as you thought, especially for people who are otherwise fairly inactive.

Researchers followed more than 33,000 adults who walked fewer than 8,000 steps a day. Instead of focusing on step counts alone, they looked at how those steps were taken. Some people walked in short spurts, under five minutes at a time. Others grouped their movement into longer stretches. Over nearly a decade, a pattern showed that the longer the walking session, the lower the risk of death and heart disease.

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According to the study people who took most of their steps in bursts of under five minutes had the highest risks. As walking sessions lengthened, those risks fell steadily. Those who regularly walked for 15 minutes or more at a time had the lowest rates of early death and cardiovascular disease. For the most sedentary participants, those taking fewer than 5,000 steps a day, the benefits of longer walks were even better.

A longer walk, reveals the study, allows the body to settle into rhythm. Heart rate rises and stays raised. Blood vessels respond. Muscles warm properly. Short bursts, while better than nothing, may never give the body time to adapt and respond in the same way. You don’t need to become an athlete. You don’t need to chase endless steps. You just need to be intentional.

Simple ways to turn short movement into longer walks

• Walk for 15 minutes after a meal instead of pacing briefly
• Combine errands into one longer route
• Take a proper lunchtime walk rather than several short breaks
• Choose one daily walk and protect it
• Walk without distraction so time passes naturally

Also Read: Cardiologist reveals how walking can change your life: “Here’s what happens every minute you walk…”

One good walk. Taken properly. No gadgets required. In a world obsessed with counting everything, this study reminds you that duration, not just effort, still matters.

FAQs on the benefits of longer walks on heart health

Yes. The study suggests longer, uninterrupted walks are linked to lower risk of heart disease and early death than short walking bursts.

Walking for 15 minutes or more at a time showed the greatest health benefits, especially for inactive people.

No. Short walks are better than none, but they may not provide the same cardiovascular benefits as longer sessions.

The benefits were strongest for people who walked less than 5,000 steps a day, but longer walks helped across all activity levels.

Not necessarily. A steady pace that raises your heart rate slightly is enough to gain benefits.

Yes. A 15-minute walk after meals can support heart health and improve overall movement duration.