Working out is often thought to involve free weights, exercise programs or some other routine, but there’s more to exercise than that.

Going for walks, dancing, and doing housework —although not technically exercises —any kind of movement counts toward your daily activity goal. Get more exercise to improve your health with just a straightforward adjustment.

Physical activity enhances the quality of sleep, strengthens the brain, and reduces the risk of developing certain types of cancer and heart disease. Your weekly “exercise” is the sum of all your physical activity, regardless of how long it lasts, and any movement is good for your health.

According to a study published in the open access journal BMJ Open, older persons who regularly clean up after themselves have superior memory, attention span, and leg strength. This, in turn, makes them less likely to fall.

The researchers in this study aimed to investigate whether performing home tasks among the elderly population of a developed nation would promote healthy aging and enhance cognitive and physical abilities, as this type of activity requires movement and is a measure of a person’s potential to live independently.

Cooking, dusting, making the bed, ironing, hanging laundry, and washing up were all examples of light chores. Tasks such as painting and decorating, as well as heavier chores like changing the bed, vacuuming, and washing the floor, were included.

Included in the sample were 489 adults (ranging in age from 21 to 90) who were selected at random and had no cognitive impairments and fewer than five underlying medical conditions. Everyone was able to take care of their own daily needs and live independently in a residential community.

Additionally, certain cognitive domains were linked to the level of housework intensity. Light housework was linked to 8% better short-term memory and 14% better long-term memory, whereas heavy housework was linked to a 14% higher attention score.

Almost two-thirds (61%, 152 younger, and 66%, 159 older) only used housework to reach the prescribed physical activity quota objective. Additionally, certain cognitive domains were linked to the level of housework intensity. After adjusting for other types of regular physical activity, the results showed a link between housework and improved physical and mental capacities. but only in the elderly population.

Researchers in Europe used a sizable database of health data of middle-aged British civil officials to conduct new investigations. The employees, initially between the ages of 35 and 55, were monitored for about ten years while completing numerous health surveys.

One of the things mentioned in the questions was doing household chores. Every task was categorized as “mild,” such as cooking or doing the dishes, to “moderate” (weeding and brisk walking). They discovered that any form of physical activity was linked to a longer lifespan.

What Is the Recommended Amount of Exercise?

Experts and our physicians have been telling us for years that we need to exercise, and now that we know housework can be exercise, you should feel a bit less stressed. Of course, housework may not be your total answer, but it contributes to your weekly exercise. The question remains: how much exercise should you be getting and whether you should do intense things or be a bit more casual about them.

Intensity has benefits for some, especially regarding the activity, but you should keep in mind that any exercise is good exercise. As long as you're not spending the entire day sitting in a chair, watching television, playing a board game, or doing something else, you can count your exercise credits. Guidelines are available online for those of us who need a bit more help establishing the correct amount for ourselves.

Keep something else in mind, too. When you perceive an activity as more than a task or obligation, it can significantly impact your motivation. When we think of exercise in terms of housework, that's one thing that you are required to do. But, if you think of housework and exercise together as something that is good for your mental health, cognition, and longevity, it becomes money in the bank for you.

Always remind yourself that you are doing this for yourself, even if required. The benefits are threefold: required work, exercise, and longevity. When did you ever think of housework as providing additional years of life for you? And it's not only exercise or longevity because we can toss something else in there—fighting anxiety and depression and helping raise our mood level.

Housework has probably always been something you cringed at having to do, but there's a new light shining on it, and you should allow it to shine brightly.