Why taking the stairs is better for your health
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You’ve probably heard it all before; taking the stairs over an elevator or a lift is better for your health – but is taking the stairs really worth the climb? Whilst most of us think of physical activity as going to the gym or playing a sport, the truth is that every little bit counts. Everyday activities like walking, cooking, cleaning and stair climbing actually make a huge difference to your overall health.
What are the Health Benefits of Taking the Stairs?
Whilst taking the stairs is recommended by doctors, health professionals and celebrities all around the globe, there’s actually scientific evidence behind their recommendations. Taking the stairs has been found to:
- Burn more kilojoules per minute than jogging
- Help control weight and build muscle tone
- Saving time amidst your busy day (taking the stairs can save up to 15 minutes a day!)
- Cut carbon emissions
- Lower early mortality risk (by climbing just eight flights of stairs a day, you can cut that risk
by 33%) - Reduce your risk of heart attack and cardiovascular issues
Stair climbing delivers all of these benefits (and more) by improving your cardiovascular fitness. Whether you climb them fast or slow, taking the stairs will raise your heart rate and thus burn more kilojoules.
How to Reap the Benefits of Taking the Stairs
Unlike eating expensive super foods or following an hour long training regime, stair climbing is an easy activity to build into your everyday life – and it doesn’t cost you any time or money.
Stair climbing is easy to adopt as a daily habit as it doesn’t require any special skills, training or equipment and actually saves you time rather than eating away at precious minutes you just don’t have.
Even when climbing stairs at a normal pace, you’ll be burning two to three times more kilojoules than you would walking on flat ground at a brisk pace.
Whilst climbing only one set of stairs a day isn’t going to get you fit overnight, making a conscious decision to take the stairs whenever possible will see you gaining strength, burning more kilojoules and feeling better in the long run.
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