Published: 23:56 BST, 29 August 2026 | Updated: 23:56 BST, 29 August 2026
Ask most physically fit people how they stay healthy, and they will likely say they spend hours in the gym.
But new research suggests that simply choosing to skip the elevator or escalator in favor of climbing the stairs every day could help you to live a longer life.
Researchers at the University of East Anglia in the UK, analyzed data from nine studies involving more than 450,000 people.
Overall, they found that those who took the stairs 'regularly' had a 39 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease than those who did not.
Over the 14 years participants were tracked, stair users were also found to have a 24 percent lower risk of death from any cause than those who normally use an elevator.
Dr Sophie Paddock, a cardiologist involved in the research, said: 'We found a consistent association between stair climbing and lower risk of both cardiovascular death and overall mortality.
'Unlike going to the gym or doing a workout, climbing the stairs is something you can easily fit into your day at home, at work or when you're out. It's a good option for people who don't have much time or easy access to exercise.'
She added: 'If your choice is between taking the stairs or the [elevator], go for the stairs. Even brief bursts of physical activity have beneficial heart health impacts.'
Scientists have found that taking the stairs could help you live longer
The researchers did not say how often someone would need to climb the stairs to get heart health benefits, saying 'further research' was needed.
But their review did cite a paper, one of the largest analyses of its kind, that suggested climbing about six flights per day, or roughly 60 steps, gives heart health benefits.
The team has also completed previous research that found just a few minutes of stair climbing per day may lower heart disease risk factors such as blood pressure.
When someone climbs the stairs, muscles must exert a greater force than during walking to lift someone off the ground.
This causes them to burn energy more quickly, causing the body to raise the heart rate to supply them with added oxygen and nutrients. The thigh muscles are the largest in the body.
