Sometimes we crave a long, satisfying workout, other times, we can barely motivate ourselves to get off the couch. But it turns out, even when we’re feeling a little too lazy for intense exercise, we can still get a lot out of a shorter sweat sesh. A brief bout of physical activity actually offers some surprising benefits.

Exercising for just 15 minutes a day is linked to these health rewards:

Your brain will be sharper- Our brains can benefit just as much as our muscles from working out, and onestudyfinds riding a stationary bike for 10 to 15 minutes resulted in a 14% boost in cognitive performance. Anotherresearch projectshows that after 10 minutes of light exercise, students performed better on a memory test.
It may cut down on cravings- Struggle to control your sweet tooth? Try a brisk 15 minute walk.Researchon “regular chocolate eaters” finds those who didn’t eat candy for two full days, then went for a quick 15 minute walk ate half as much chocolate while doing a stressful task as participants who hadn’t exercised.
It could improve mental health- Just 15 minutes of running has been shown to help ward off depression. Astudyfrom Harvard concludes that a daily 15 minute run can cut the risk of depression by as much as 26%.
You may live longer- According to astudyof 400-thousand people, 15 minutes of exercise a day can extend your life expectancy by three years and reduce the risk of death by 14%. Not bad for the bare minimums with movement.
You’ll burn more calories- You don’t have to spend all day in the weight room to see some impressive results.Researchfinds folks who did weightlifting for about 11 minutes, three times a week continued burning calories and fat even after they stopped pumping iron.

Source:Eat This, Not That

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