In our fast-paced world, trying to exercise can sometimes seem impossible; however, a rising trend relies on splitting workouts into shorter sessions lasting between 5 and 10 minutes, spread throughout the day, instead of dedicating a full hour or more to a single intense workout. This approach “could be a game-changer for busy people and make maintaining physical activity an integral part of the daily routine.”

This is through “Microdose exercise,” a term that includes “any physical activity involving a small training dose while maintaining benefits,” says Hunter Bennett, Professor of Exercise Science at the University of South Australia, on The Conversation website.

But do these microdoses effectively increase fitness? Meaning, if we cannot allocate 30 minutes for running, for example, do these short bursts of physical activity improve our overall health?

According to the World Health Organization, the minimum exercise you should do is at least:

Therefore, if you exercise daily, you need to engage in activities like brisk walking, cycling, running, swimming, rowing, and team sports such as football and basketball; along with muscle-strengthening activities like weightlifting or sprinting, “at least twice a week.”

Bennett emphasizes that “incidental activity” or unplanned spontaneous movement, or daily activities like playing with children, climbing stairs, or walking to the bus stop, “may contribute to improving your physical activity levels throughout the week.” He adds that household chores requiring sweeping and cleaning can be “physical effort similar to walking,” and although not considered strenuous activity, “they may contribute to achieving some moderate-intensity exercise minutes,” according to Bennett.

Bennett answers “yes,” explaining that exercising in small doses throughout the day “is no less effective than doing it in one long session,” and these small doses “may even have some additional benefits.”

According to a 2019 review including 19 studies with over a thousand participants divided into a group doing 3 rounds of 10-minute exercises 5 days a week, and another group training in one 30-minute session 5 days a week, results showed that “exercising in short multiple daily periods improves heart and lung health and blood pressure as much as a longer single training session.”

Additionally, there is some evidence that these short periods “actually led to more weight loss and lowered cholesterol levels.”

Certified personal trainer Sydney Youmans explains that “small fitness doses” are a way to build strength, flexibility, and endurance without exhausting the body, ideal for those who lack time for long workouts and need that “small fitness dose.”

He adds that microdose exercises can be “a great way to combat the negative effects of prolonged sitting, boost energy, stimulate circulation, and activate the brain throughout the day.”

According to certified trainer and fitness author Steve Smith, quick small exercise doses throughout the day are “a great way to wake up and maintain productivity.”

Another 2019 study examined the effect of “short light exercise doses” on youth fitness and found that “despite the small size of these exercises, they achieved some positive and interesting results.”

The small training doses performed by a group of participants consisted of 3 very short rounds daily (each round only 3 minutes and 20 seconds), 3 times a week for 6 weeks.

Another group did one training session daily, 3 days a week, but about 10 minutes longer.

Researchers noticed a significant improvement in aerobic fitness in the light exercise dose group, which is one of the strongest factors in reducing early death risk and improving general health.

Previous research indicates that “the shorter the exercise duration, the greater the need to exert more effort,” as those who lack time must increase exercise intensity and effort to gain greater benefit.

Therefore, Bennett says, “one minute of maximum intensity exercise may equal two minutes of moderate-intensity exercise.”

To maintain general health and fitness, 2019 research indicates no downside to splitting long exercise into smaller parts. However, there are reasons to “continue exercising for longer periods,” according to Bennett.

If you are training for a long sporting event, such as running 10 kilometers, cycling 30 kilometers, or even a marathon, you will need to exercise longer “to ensure your muscles and joints are prepared to handle the event’s demands and help your body adapt to achieve peak performance that day.”

Also, regarding mental health, there is some evidence that “exercising more than the minimum recommended amount may be better,” and that about one hour of moderate-intensity exercise daily “can significantly improve anxiety and depression symptoms.”

But Bennett reiterates that you can still “split your workouts throughout the day and feel the same effect.”

He stresses that “any exercise is better than none,” and for those short on time, just 3 minutes daily, spread over 3 sessions, “can have a positive impact on our health.”