Daijiworld Media Network - Sydney

Sydney, Oct 2: Contrary to a long-standing myth, exercise does not “waste” your heartbeats—in fact, it may save them and add years to your life, according to new research from Australia published in the journal JACC Advances.

The study challenges the popular notion that humans have a finite number of heartbeats and that vigorous activity depletes them. Researchers found that fitter individuals actually use fewer total heartbeats per day compared to sedentary people, thanks to a lower resting heart rate.

In athletes, the average resting heart rate is 68 beats per minute (bpm), while non-athletes average 76 bpm. This translates to 97,920 beats per day for athletes versus 109,440 for non-athletes, a saving of around 11,500 beats daily. “Even though athletes’ hearts work harder during exercise, their lower resting rates more than compensate,” said Professor La Gerche, head of the HEART Laboratory supported by St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research and the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

The research also noted that the fittest individuals can have resting heart rates as low as 40 bpm, compared to 70–80 bpm in the average adult. This means that even accounting for heart rate spikes during workouts, athletes use fewer heartbeats over a 24-hour period than sedentary people.

“The fitter you are, the more metabolically efficient your body becomes,” Professor La Gerche explained. “Even if you train hard for an hour a day, your heart beats more slowly for the other 23 hours, resulting in fewer beats overall.”

A lower resting heart rate, the researchers emphasized, is not only a sign of fitness but also a predictor of better cardiovascular health. Regular physical activity can strengthen heart function, reduce long-term cardiovascular risks, and is strongly linked with longer lifespan, improved mental health, and lower rates of heart disease.

While extreme endurance events like the Tour de France temporarily increase daily heartbeat counts, the study concluded that the benefits of regular, moderate exercise far outweigh any risks, underscoring the importance of staying active for overall health.