Reverse Your Heart Clock: What 5 Hours of Exercise a Week Can Do

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Reverse Your Heart Clock: What 5 Hours a Week Can Do

A new study shows that just five hours of weekly exercise — including two simple high-intensity sessions — can help turn back the effects of heart aging by up to 20 years.

If you’ve ever felt like it’s “too late” to regain your energy or fitness, science has encouraging news.

A Norwegian research team followed adults in their 50s and 60s who started moving just five hours a week — roughly 45 minutes a day. Two of those weekly sessions were a structured “4×4” workout: four rounds of four-minute bursts of brisk effort (like uphill walking or cycling) followed by recovery time.

After two years, participants’ cardiovascular “age” — a measure of how flexible and efficient the heart and arteries are — improved by roughly 20 years. That’s the kind of difference usually seen only in lifelong exercisers.

Why it works:

Short bursts raise heart rate enough to improve oxygen use and endurance.
Recovery periods make it sustainable for most people, even beginners.
The total time commitment stays reasonable: about 300 minutes per week.

In the River Valley, that could mean mixing short jogs or hill walks at Springhill Park or Lee Creek trails, a couple of strength classes, and a weekend hike.

Consistency — not intensity — did most of the work in the study.

Try this:

Set a weekly goal of five total hours of movement — including two “push” days where you breathe harder but can still talk.

The rest can be walks, yardwork, or stretching.

Little by little, you’re reversing your heart’s clock — and building energy that lasts into the holidays.

Adapted from a study featured in BoxLife Magazine (2025).

By Tim Fitzpatrick · River Valley Healthy Living · Ozark Direct Network