How often should you do cardio exercise?
You may have heard that when it comes to strength training, you should rest a day or two between sessions to give your muscles a chance to recover.
But what about cardiovascular exercise ? Do you need rest days? After all, cardio exercises contribute to
- improve heart and lung function
- strengthen your muscles
- improve your blood circulation
- improve your mood
- improve your sleep
- reduce the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
In this article, we'll take a closer look at the recommended amount of cardio exercise, the pros and cons of doing cardio every day, and the best strategy for losing weight with this type of exercise.
What you need to know about cardio or aerobic activity
During aerobic or cardio exercise, your muscles need more blood and oxygen than when they are at rest.
This makes your heart and lungs have to work harder, which over time can strengthen these parts of your body.
And, as your heart and lungs become stronger, the flow of blood and oxygen throughout your body improves as well.
Cardio or aerobic exercise includes many types of activities. Some activities, such as walking, can be done at a moderate pace.
Other activities, such as running, hill biking, jumping rope or swimming laps, can be done at a more intense pace.
If you enjoy exercising in a group, there are many types of aerobics classes or sports you can try, such as:
- kickboxing
- training camp
- spinning class
- Zumba
- dance class
- basketball
- soccer
- tennis
How much cardio exercise is recommended?
It is recommended that people aged 18 or over:
at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week OR
75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity each week OR
an equivalent combination of the two
The reliable source from the World Health Organization recommends that no matter what type of cardio exercise you choose to do, you should do it for at least 10 minutes at a time to get the most benefits.
If you do moderate-intensity exercise, such as brisk walking, 30 minutes a day can help you reap many benefits.
You can also divide this time into two 15-minute walks or three 10-minute walks per day.
There is no recommended upper limit for the amount of cardio exercise you should do on a daily or weekly basis.
However, if you push yourself hard in every workout, skipping a day or two a week to rest can help you avoid injury and burnout.
Is it safe to do cardio every day?
Researchers have found that doing up to 60 minutes of cardio exercise per day is safe and appropriate, especially if weight loss is a goal.
While cardio exercise has many benefits, a 2017 study found that there may be risks associated with intense exercise every day or most days of the week.
The limits of how much cardio exercise is safe vary from person to person. It also depends on
- of your fitness level
- of your general health
- of any underlying health problems
But in general, the following symptoms may indicate that you are doing too much:
- persistent muscle pain
- painful joints
- once easy exercises become more difficult
- decreased interest or enthusiasm for exercise
- bad sleep
If you haven't exercised in a while, or are recovering from an injury or illness, it's best to consult your doctor about how to safely start exercising, for how long, and how often.
Also talk to your doctor if you have a condition that may limit the type of exercise you can safely do.
This includes heart disease, respiratory problems, arthritis or any other type of joint problem.
What are the pros and cons of doing cardio every day?
Daily cardio exercise has its share of pros and cons. It is important to understand them, as these factors can affect your health.
Benefits of Daily Cardio Exercise:
- improves your heart function and cardiovascular health
- helps you sleep better at night, especially if you exercise earlier in the day
- improves blood circulation and helps manage high blood pressure
- improves your body's use of fat for energy, which can lead to weight loss.
- improves lung function and overall respiratory health
- improves mood, increases energy and reduces stress.
Disadvantages of daily cardio exercise:
- physical and mental exhaustion
- loss of muscle mass, which can occur if you don't eat enough calories to prevent your body from drawing energy from muscle tissue
- injuries due to overtraining.
Should you do cardio every day if you want to lose weight?
Weight loss occurs when you use more calories than you consume.
This is why the calorie-burning effects of cardio exercise can be a great way to lose weight.
For example, 30 minutes of brisk walking (5 km per hour) burns about 140 calories. This equates to 980 calories per week, or nearly 4,000 calories per month.
Even if you don't cut back on your calories, a half-hour of cardio exercise a day can help you lose at least a pound a month (a pound is about 3,500 calories).
By exercising more frequently and changing your diet, you may be able to lose even more weight.
Remember, though, that as your fitness improves, your body can become more efficient at burning calories.
This means that over time, you will likely burn fewer calories doing the same exercise.
Therefore, weight loss may slow unless you step up your calorie-burning activities.
The best strategy for losing weight may be to combine cardio and strength training.
This might include doing cardio exercise 3-4 days a week and strength training 2-3 days a week.
Safety Tips
Before starting a cardio workout program, take stock of your fitness level and be realistic about what an exercise program would look like for you.
If you've been sedentary for a while, start with short, low-intensity workouts. As you start to build endurance, you can make your workouts longer, but not more intense.
Once you're used to longer workouts, you can start to slowly increase the intensity of your cardio workout.
Also keep these safety tips in mind:
- Warm up for a few minutes with a brisk walk or a few minutes of Swedish gymnastics.
- Rest the same way.
- Skip a workout if you feel sick or have little energy.
- Hydrate yourself with fluids before, during and after your workout.
- Try to avoid running or jogging on uneven terrain which could increase the risk of ankle injury or falls.
- Stop if you feel sudden pain or have difficulty catching your breath.
In summary
A 30-minute cardiovascular workout is a safe activity that most people can do every day.
However, people with chronic illness are not always able to do as much cardio exercise. It is still important to try to be as active as possible.
If you usually do more intense and longer cardio workouts, taking a rest day each week can help your body recover and reduce the risk of injury.
If your goal is to lose weight, try to slowly increase the duration and intensity of your cardio sessions so you don't hit a plateau in your weight loss efforts.
Additionally, for best results, try to combine your cardio sessions with strength training sessions each week.
If you are new to cardio exercise, or have an injury or underlying health condition, talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
What are the benefits of aerobic exercise?
How Much Aerobic Exercise Do You Need?
Aerobic exercise is any activity that gets the blood pumping and works large muscle groups.
We also talk about cardiovascular activity. Here are some examples of aerobic exercises
- brisk walking
- swimming
- heavy cleaning or gardening
- running
- the bike
- play football.
Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
Brisk walking or swimming are examples of moderate activity. Running or cycling are examples of vigorous activity.
But why are aerobic exercises recommended?
Read on to learn about its benefits and get tips on how to incorporate aerobic exercise into your routine.
13 Benefits of Cardio Fitness
1. Improves cardiovascular health
Aerobic exercise is recommended by most doctors for people with or at risk of heart disease.
This is because exercise strengthens your heart and helps it pump blood throughout your body more efficiently.
Cardiovascular exercise can also help lower blood pressure and keep arteries clear by increasing "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and reducing "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the blood.
If you're specifically looking to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, aim for 40 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise 3 to 4 times per week.
2. Lower blood pressure
Cardiovascular exercise can help you manage the symptoms of high blood pressure.
In fact, exercise can help lower blood pressure.
Here are some other ways to lower blood pressure without medication.
3. Helps regulate blood sugar levels
Regular physical activity helps regulate insulin levels and lower blood sugar, while keeping body weight under control.
In a study of people with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that any form of movement, whether aerobic or anaerobic, can have these effects.
4. Reduces asthma symptoms
Aerobic exercise can help people with asthma reduce the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.
However, if you have asthma, you should always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program.
He or she may recommend specific activities or precautions to help you stay safe while exercising.
5. Reduce chronic pain
If you suffer from chronic back pain, cardiovascular exercise, especially low-impact activities such as swimming or water aerobics, can help you regain muscle function and endurance.
Exercise can also help you lose weight, which can further reduce chronic back pain.
6. Helps with sleep
If you have trouble sleeping at night, try doing some cardiovascular exercise during your waking hours.
A study of people with chronic sleep disorders found that a regular exercise program combined with sleep hygiene education is an effective treatment for insomnia.
Participants performed aerobic activity for 16 weeks and then completed questionnaires about their sleep and general mood.
The group that participated in the activity reported improved sleep quality and duration, as well as improved wakefulness and vitality during the day.
However, exercising too close to bedtime can make it harder to fall asleep. Try to finish your workout at least two hours before bedtime.
7. Weight regulation
You may have heard that diet and exercise are the building blocks of weight loss.
But aerobic exercise alone may have the power to help you lose weight and keep it off.
In one studyTrusted Source, researchers asked overweight participants to maintain the same diet but engage in exercise sessions that burned between 400 and 600 calories, 5 times per week, for 10 months.
The results showed significant weight loss , between 4.3 and 5.7% of their starting weight, in both men and women.
Most participants walked or jogged on treadmills for the majority of their exercise sessions.
If you don't have access to a treadmill, try to do a few brisk walks or jogs a day, such as during your lunch break or before dinner.
Depending on your weight and speed, you may need to walk or run up to 4 miles to burn 400 to 600 calories.
Reducing calories in addition to aerobic exercise can reduce the amount of exercise needed to lose the same amount of weight.
8. Strengthens the immune system
Researchers looked at active and sedentary women and the impact of exercise on their immune systems.
- One group exercised on a treadmill for 30 minutes
- Another group performed a burst of intense activity for 30 seconds
- the last group did not exercise
All women had blood drawn before, after, and at various intervals in the days and weeks following these exercise sessions.
The results showed that regular, moderate aerobic exercise increases certain antibodies in the blood called immunoglobulins.
This ultimately strengthens the immune system.
The sedentary group of women saw no improvement in immune system function and their cortisol levels were much higher than those of the active groups.
9. Improves brain power
Did you know that the brain starts losing tissue after the age of 30?
Scientists have found that aerobic exercise can slow this loss and improve cognitive performance.
To test this theory, 55 older adults underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans for evaluation.
Participants were then screened to assess their health, including their aerobic fitness.
The fittest adults had fewer reductions in the frontal, parietal and temporal areas of the brain. Overall, their brain tissue was more robust.
What does this mean for you? Aerobic exercise is good for your body and brain.
10. Improves mood
Moving your body can also improve your mood. In one study of people with depression, participants walked on a treadmill doing intervals for 30 minutes per session.
After 10 days, they were asked to report any changes in their mood.
All participants reported a significant reduction in their depressive symptoms. These results suggest that exercising, even for a short period of time, can have a significant impact on mood.
You don't have to wait nearly two weeks to see an improvement. The study results revealed that even just one exercise session can be enough to give you a boost.
11. Reduces the risk of falling
One in three people over the age of 65 fall each year. These falls can result in fractures and potentially lifelong injuries or disabilities.
Exercise can help reduce your risk of falling. And if you're worried you're too old to start exercising, don't be. You have a lot to gain.
Results from a study of women aged 72 to 87 found that aerobic dancing, for example, may reduce the risk of falling by promoting better balance and agility.
The women trained for an hour, three times a week, for a total of 12 weeks. The dance sessions included lots of squatting, leg balancing and other basic gross motor tasks.
At the end of the study, women in the control group performed significantly better on tasks such as standing on one leg with their eyes closed.
They also had better grip strength and reach, all important physical strengths that can protect the body from falls.
Be sure to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, and start slowly. Group classes can be a great way to exercise safely.
The instructor can tell you if you are doing the movements correctly and can also give you modifications, if necessary, to reduce the risk of injury.
12. Safe for most people, including children
Cardiovascular exercise is recommended for most groups of people, even the elderly or those with chronic diseases.
The key is to work with your doctor to find what works best for you and is safe in your particular situation.
Even children should get regular aerobic exercise. In fact, the recommendations for children are slightly higher than for adults.
Try to get your child moving for at least 60 minutes or more a day. Moderate activities are fine, but kids should get into the vigorous zone at least three days a week.
13. Affordable and accessible
You don't need fancy equipment or a gym membership to exercise.
Getting daily exercise can be as simple as taking a walk around your neighborhood or going for a jog with a friend on a local trail.
Other ways to get aerobic exercise for free or cheap:
Check with local schools or community centers for pool hours.
Many of them offer free entry to residents or offer discounted rates. Some centers even offer free or cheap fitness classes to the general public.
Ask your employer about discounts or free memberships at local gyms.
If your workplace doesn't offer anything, you may be able to get incentives through your health insurance.
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