Not all forms of exercise are created equally. The sweat sesh you choose might have plenty of health benefits, but there’s one that will help you live longer: running. Researchers have known that runners tend to stick around longer, but now they’ve figured out just how long.
In reviewing past data, researchers found that runners live an average of 3.2 years longer than non-runners. And it wasn’t just marathoners who got the longevity boost, most people in the study only ran for about two hours a week. For most runners, two hours equals about 12 miles, which isn’t too bad if you break it down into two or three smaller runs a week.
And the scientists even took it a step further, figuring out that for every cumulative hour you run, you get seven more hours of life. That’s super specific, and a great incentive to lace up your shoes and hit the road or the treadmill.
Sure, other forms of exercise increase your years on the planet, too. Cycling and walking were up there as well, but running has the biggest boost to life span. And they say that runner's high thing is real, so maybe it’s time to get our sneakers on and give it a try.
Source: Shape