Study Finds 5-Minute Daily Eccentric Exercises Can Boost Mental And Physical Health

It can be tough to find time for workouts, but new research shows you don't need hours of exercise to improve your health. According to a recent study, just five minutes of eccentric bodyweight exercises every day can significantly benefit both your mental and physical well-being. 

The study, published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, investigated how short, bodyweight exercises could improve key health indicators such as handgrip strength, flexibility, and overall strength. Researchers also looked into how these exercises might impact mental health and well-being. 

The findings suggest that brief sessions of eccentric exercises may offer a practical solution for people who find it challenging to fit longer workout sessions into their busy schedules. 

As per a news release, the study, led by Dr Benjamin Kirk and Professor Ken Nosaka in ECU's School of Medical and Health Sciences, evaluated the effects of a five-minute-a-day, home-based bodyweight eccentric exercise program on physical fitness, body composition, and both physical and mental health in sedentary individuals.

Over a four-week period, the participants completed daily exercise consisting of 10 repetitions each of chair squats, chair reclines, wall push-ups, and heel drops, focusing on eccentric muscle lengthening contractions by slowly stretching contracting muscles, such as sitting in a chair slowly, in which the front thigh muscles are lengthened while supporting the body weight.

"We saw significant improvements in muscle strength, flexibility, strength endurance and mental health, suggesting that even small amounts of daily exercise can provide sustainable and detectable benefits in sedentary individuals," Professor Ken Nosaka said.

"The results highlighted that eccentric exercises are very effective in improving fitness. This type of exercise is also more accessible to most people, as it makes use of body weight and eliminates the need to go to a gym.

"The eccentric exercises can also be spread out during the day, which makes it more achievable to those who are time poor."

Sedentary lifestyles can be deadly

Physical inactivity is estimated to contribute to some 5.3 million deaths in Australia each year.

It is estimated that only 63% of people met the aerobic guidelines for adult physical activity, while only 29% met the muscle-strengthening activity criteria.

Only 19% of Australia's adult population currently meet both aerobic and physical strength guidelines.

"As you get older, your fitness level will decline by 1% to 2% a year on average. So, for someone who is 50 years old, their fitness levels will be 20% less than compared to when they were 30 years old," Professor Nosaka said.

"Performing exercises regularly is very important, particularly as people get older, as it lowers the risk of chronic disease, injury and fatigue and helps with mental health."