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Running for an hour can add seven hours to your life. According to a study published in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Disease, people who run tend to live years longer than non-runners. They also have a 25-40 per cent reduced risk of premature mortality.
The study analysed data on 55,000 people over 15 years to compare the health benefits of running with other forms of exercise such as walking and biking. Although exercise is generally improved lifespan, none of the other forms had a similar impact on life expectancy.
About four hours of running per week were ideal. Beyond that, there were no further improvements in life expectancy. People who run usually follow other healthy lifestyle behaviours like maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and drinking only moderately, which could also be adding to their life expectancy. Running can improve aerobic fitness and combat many of the common risk factors for early death, including high blood pressure and abdominal fat.
