Clean up, live longer!

Good news! It’s official – domestic chores are good for our health and can even increase our life expectancy.

A six-year study by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, released in August and published in the British Medical Journal, surveyed 36,000 people and found physical exercise such as cleaning was found to increase life expectancy.

All volunteers in the study were at least 40 and divided into four groups based on how active they were.

The group which was the most active had a 73 per cent chance of not dying early, compared to 66 per cent in the second-most active group.

The scientists found just five minutes of moderate activity, such as vacuuming or mowing the lawn, halved the risk of dying over the next six years. They also found an hour of light activity, such as washing dishes, slashed the odds even further.

There were even benefits for those who had previously maintained a sedentary lifestyle but increased their activity level over time, indicating it is never too late to start a healthy lifestyle.

It said: "Our findings provide clear scientific evidence that higher levels of total physical activity—regardless of intensity level—and lesser amounts of sedentary time are associated with lower risk for premature mortality.

"All intensities of physical activity, including light intensity, are associated with a substantially reduced risk of death."

So whether you’re a regular Sph2onge user or trying to encourage some lazier members of your household, this could be an incentive!

Click here to read our previous blog on the other health benefits you can get from cleaning.