Stepping up to a longer life

Health in a Heartbeat

Walking up a flight of stairs won’t just get you to the second floor. It might also help get you to your golden years.

The elevator apparently doesn’t stop on that floor.

It’s not surprising that such exercise is healthy. Carrying the groceries up to a third-floor apartment might not sound like a workout at the gym. But taking the stairs works the leg muscles intensively and gets the heart beating faster. And walking up a staircase can be a more convenient way to fit some physical activity into a busy day.

British scientists recently decided to see just how much of a health benefit stair-steppers enjoy. The degree of the boost to the heart in particular raised investigators’ eyebrows.

They analyzed health data from 480,000 adults from their mid-30s into their 80s. The study found that those who habitually climbed stairs were almost 40% less likely to die of heart disease compared with folks who didn’t regularly do so. The risk of dying from any cause was also reduced by 24%.

This was an observational study. So, scientists warn about drawing any conclusions of cause and effect.

One of the study’s authors says the type of movement required to walk up stairs takes nearly 10 times more energy than sitting. Overcoming gravity, they say, is no easy feat. Ask any Saturn Five rocket.

Other exercises like swimming, rowing and bicycling, done vigorously, can probably achieve the same result, the study says. As always, check with a doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen, especially if you face health challenges.

So, don’t pass a stairway by. Save the elevator for the Empire State Building’s observation deck.