Just 24 minutes of housework a day lowers risk of early death, study reveals

We hate to break it to you but there’s good reason to pull on your Marigolds this bank holiday weekend, as it could just save your life.

According to a new study conducted by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, carrying out regular housework can significantly decrease the risk of early death.

The report published in the BMJ indicated that just 24 minutes of moderate physical activity in the home, think washing the dishes or giving the living room a quick hoover, is enough to do the trick.

Researchers from the University of Leicester collected the data from eight previous studies involving 36,383 adults over the age of 40 who wore trackers. Their health was monitored for an average of 5.8 years during the study.

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There was a significant decrease in deaths for those who performed just 24 minutes of physical activity per day.

Meanwhile, those who did not engage in moderate movement, or sat for 9.5 hours of the day, had a significantly higher risk of early death. During the study, 2,149 participants passed away.

Current physical recommendations across the UK and US suggest that at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity is required per week to stay healthy.

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“These findings really reinforce the saying ‘Doing something is better than doing nothing,’” Dr Charlotte Edwardson said. “They show that physical activity of any intensity lowers the risk of death.”

“So if you’re someone who doesn’t achieve the recommended levels of moderate intensity physical activity, then pottering around more at work or at home and just generally being on your feet more, will still be beneficial.”

So unleash your inner Mrs Hinch this weekend and get ready to reap the benefits of a good old fashioned spring clean.

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