How much exercise should you do each week to live longer?

Between managing tough work schedules and household duties, it can be hard to find time to exercise. But new research may actually ease some of the pressure. As it turns out, when it comes to living a long, healthy life the amount of time you spend exercising matters less than how you structure your routine.

How much less exercise can you get away with and still increase longevity?

The study, published in April 2026 Journal of GerontologyThe study builds on earlier results from the landmark US Pointer study in 2025, which examined how changing daily habits (such as physical activity, diet and social behaviour) affects cognitive function in older adults, who are at increased risk of cognitive decline. This 2026 study is a secondary analysis of the US Pointer study and examines aging and frailty. Frailty refers to weakness and reduced ability to recover from injury.

The trial involved more than 2,111 adults aged 60 to 79, who were divided into two groups. Over a two-year period, one group followed their usual exercise routine – the “self-directed” group – and the other followed a structured exercise routine – the “structured” group.

The structured exercise group completed aerobic training four days per week for 30 to 35 minutes per session, resistance training two days per week for 15 to 20 minutes per session, and flexibility training two days per week for ten to 15 minutes per session. This totals three to three and a half hours of exercise each week.

After a two-year period, participants in the structured group saw greater reductions in the frailty index, a measure that researchers use as a proxy for biological aging. In other words, less frailty suggests slower aging. Participants in the structured group showed better cognitive function than those in the self-directed group who followed their own routine.

The study has some limitations that are worth noting. Participants knew which group they were in, which may have skewed their perceptions of the benefits of exercise. Additionally, the study authors wrote that participants in the US POINTER trial “may not adequately represent” the rest of the population. Additionally, while the exercise component alone provides well-established health benefits, study participants also followed the MIND diet (a combination of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, aimed at managing blood pressure), engaged in cognitive and social activities, and received cardiovascular health monitoring. The full benefits seen in the trial probably reflect this combined approach. Finally, it cannot be said with certainty that a structured exercise program directly slows aging, only that there is an association between structured exercise and slower aging.

Why does short-term exercise slow down aging?

“The structured intervention targets multiple behavioral domains that are associated with improved cognitive function,” says Mark A. Espelandis the lead author of the study and professor of gerontology, geriatrics and internal medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

Each component of a structured exercise program treats a different threat to longevity. Richard G StefanacchiAn Osteopathic Medicine doctor and medical director of Inspira Health’s Living Independently for Elders (LIFE) program, which helps older adults live better lives as they age and remain independent in their own homes.

Stefanacci says, “Aging is not a switch you flip – (the issue is) accumulation of deficits in multiple systems. This (structured exercise program) attacks multiple at once.”

According to Stefanacci, here’s why:

• Aerobic exercise supports brain and heart health by improving cardiovascular fitness, reducing inflammation, and maintaining healthy blood flow to these organs.
• Resistance training prevents sarcopenia, a condition where you lose muscle and strength as you age. This can lead to deterioration into a more serious condition, such as bone fracture.
• Flexibility training makes everyday activities—like reaching and bending—easier.

These small exercises have big benefits. Following a structured exercise program requires approximately three hours of exercise per week. “Doses matter because they are sustainable—they are high enough to induce adaptation but not so much that you quit,” Stefanacci says. “The most effective exercise prescription is one that a 75-year-old will still fill at 85.”

What does it mean to you

For anyone who loves spending time outside (hello, that’s you), you can follow this structured exercise program anywhere—not just at home or at the gym. Take weights to your backyard for a strength session, go for a run, walk, or bike ride on your local trails, or use the bench at your nearest park for stretching. Plus, according to research, exercising in nature can improve mental health Extreme Physiology and Medicine.

Espeland says adopting a healthy lifestyle still has “significant benefits in preserving cognitive function and slowing the rate of aging.”

About Medical Reviewer: Ingrid Yang, MD, is a physician and longevity expert. She is board-certified in internal medicine and helps patients create healthy habits to live better lives longer.

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