Scientists Debunk Long-Standing Exercise Myth

Forget the old myth that physical activity drains your supply of heartbeats. New research from Australia has found that people who are physically fit actually have significantly fewer total heartbeats each day, which could help them live longer, the journal JACC: Advances reported.

According to the study, athletes recorded an average heart rate of 68 beats per minute (bpm), compared with 76 bpm for those who were not active. Over a 24-hour period, that equals about 97,920 heartbeats for athletes and 109,440 for non-athletes, a difference of roughly 10 percent fewer beats per day among the fitter participants.

“That’s an incredible saving of about 11,500 beats a day,” says Professor La Gerche, head of the HEART Laboratory supported by the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research (SVI) and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI). “Even though athletes’ hearts work harder during exercise, their lower resting rates more than make up for it.”

The study revealed that the most physically fit participants had resting heart rates as low as 40 beats per minute, while the average person’s rate ranged between 70 and 80 bpm.

Over a full day, this means athletes actually accumulate fewer total heartbeats than those who are inactive, even when periods of intense exercise are taken into account.

The findings bust the long-standing saying, popularized by US President Donald Trump, that the body is a battery with a finite amount of energy and that exercise only depletes it.

“The fitter you are, the more metabolically efficient your body becomes,” Professor La Gerche explains. “Even if you’re training hard for an hour a day, your heart beats more slowly for the other 23 hours. The net effect is fewer beats used overall.”

This lower resting heart rate is not only a sign of fitness but also a predictor of better health outcomes. Professor La Gerche says increasing physical activity, when done safely, can improve heart function and reduce long-term cardiovascular risk.

“Exercise is strongly linked with improved mental health, longer lifespan, and lower rates of heart disease,” he says.

While extreme endurance events like the Tour de France can temporarily raise daily heartbeat counts, Professor La Gerche says the benefits of regular, moderate exercise far outweigh any risks.

“The biggest bang for your health buck is going from unfit to moderately fit. Just a few hours of purposeful exercise each week can transform your heart’s efficiency and help make every beat count. It may even extend your life by years,” he said.

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