Health
Breaking a Sweat Could Save Your Life
Vigorous activity—that causes you to sweat—can help you live longer.
Posted April 7, 2015

In one of the largest studies of its kind, Australian researchers have discovered that vigorous physical activity—that causes you to sweat—can help someone avoid death at an early age.
Shakespeare said famously, “Strong reasons make strong actions.” If you need one very strong reason to take strong actions and kick-start a more vigorous exercise program, how about the fact that it will help you live longer? What stronger motivation is there than the fact that breaking a sweat can help keep you alive?
The April 2015 study, “Effects of Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and All-Cause Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Australians,” was published in the online edition of JAMA Internal Medicine.
The current advice from the World Health Organization (WHO)—and health authorities in most countries including the United States—is for adults to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. How would you rate yourself in terms of these guidelines?
I Want to Make You Want to Sweat
I have dedicated my life to finding ways to motivate people to sweat by identifying the universal neurobiological reasons that breaking a sweat makes us feel good—and helps us to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.
The title of my book and my Psychology Today blog says it all, “The Athlete’s Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss.” On the first page of my book, I sum up the sweat = bliss equation:
When I am running, biking, or swimming happiness pours out of me. I am not alone. Everyone who exercises regularly experiences this bliss and it is available to you, too, anytime you break a sweat.
Everything that human beings do for our survival—eating, sleeping, reproducing, and working physically—breaking a sweat—is designed to make us feel good biologically. We are rewarded for doing the things necessary to stay alive. This is a generous biological design, and at the same time, the key to our survival.

The recent Australian study confirms how important breaking a sweat is for our individual and collective survival. For this study, researchers followed 204,542 people over the course of more than six years.
The focus of this study was to compare differences in mortality between people who engaged only in moderate activity, such as gentle swimming, social tennis, or household chores—that didn’t cause them to huff and puff, or break a sweat—with people whose exercise routine included some vigorous activity, such as jogging, aerobics or competitive tennis.
How Many Times a Week Do You Break a Sweat?
The study classified participants into different groups: those who reported that none of their physical activity was at a vigorous level and those who reported that up to 30 per cent, or more, of their activity was at a vigorous level.
If you exercise regularly, how would you rate the percentage of your physical activity that is moderate compared to vigorous?
The mortality rate for participants who reported up to 30 per cent vigorous activity was 9 per cent lower than for participants who reported no vigorous activity in their workout routine.
People whose exercise routine was vigorous for more than 30 per cent of the time had a mortality rate that was reduced by 13 per cent. The benefits of vigorous activity applied to men and women of all ages.
Co-author Dr. Melody Ding from University of Sydney's School of Public Health, concluded that their findings strongly indicate that vigorous activities should be more strongly encouraged in clinical and public health guidelines.
In a press release Ding said, "The results indicate that whether or not you are obese, and whether or not you have heart disease or diabetes, if you can manage some vigorous activity it could offer significant benefits for longevity."
Conclusion: Breaking a Sweat Can Help You Live Longer
The researchers conclude that even small amounts of vigorous activity could help reduce your risk of early death. Hopefully, this new study and the idea of "sweat and the biology of bliss" will inspire you to break a sweat more regularly.
**Please use common sense. As with any new exercise program, consult with your doctor before doing any moderate or vigorous physical activity.
If you'd like to read more on this topic, check out my Psychology Today blog posts:
- “What Daily Habit Can Boost “Healthy Aging” Odds Sevenfold?”
- “Can Exercise Protect Your Brain From Depression?”
- “Why Is Physical Activity So Good For Your Brain?”
- "I Want to Make You Want to Sweat"
- “What Motivates People to Make Healthier Lifestyle Choices?”
- “Moving Your Body Is Good For Your Mind”
- “Pumping Iron Can Help You Live Longer”
- "Irisin: The "Exercise Hormone" Has Powerful Health Benefits"
- "The Neurochemicals of Happiness"
© Christopher Bergland 2015. All rights reserved.
Follow me on Twitter @ckbergland for updates on The Athlete’s Way blog posts.
The Athlete’s Way ® is a registered trademark of Christopher Bergland.