Heart and circulatory diseases cause more than a quarter of all female deaths in the UK, killing more than twice as many women as breast cancer.

Yet new research has revealed an encouraging finding: brief bursts of everyday activity could significantly reduce women's risk of heart problems - and it takes less than four minutes a day.

What's New About This Research?

With around 830,000 UK women living with coronary heart disease, this research brings hope through surprisingly simple solutions. Scientists have discovered that women don't need structured exercise sessions to protect their hearts.

Instead, short bursts of vigorous movement throughout the day - what researchers call "Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity" or VILPA - can make a remarkable difference.

These benefits come from everyday activities like climbing stairs or rushing for a bus.

"We know already that any amount of exercise is beneficial when trying to lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes," says Regina Giblin, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation.

"This large study is evidence that getting your body moving and raising your heart rate even just for a few minutes daily can really make a difference to having a healthy heart."

The Numbers That Matter

The research team tracked over 81,000 middle-aged people for nearly eight years, focusing particularly on those who didn't exercise regularly. Their findings were striking:

• Women who managed just 3.4 minutes of vigorous daily activity were 45% less likely to have heart problems

• The risk of heart attack dropped by 51%

• The chance of heart failure fell by 67%

• Even shorter bursts of 1.2-1.6 minutes showed significant benefits

For men, the benefits were more modest but still meaningful, with about 5.6 minutes of daily vigorous activity reducing heart risks by 16%.

What Counts as Vigorous Activity?

You don't need special equipment or a gym membership. These activities could be:

• Taking the stairs instead of the lift

• Rushing to catch a bus

• Carrying heavy shopping bags

• Walking briskly uphill

• Energetic housework

The key is that these activities should make you breathe harder and raise your heart rate, even if only for a minute or two.

Why This Matters for Women

This research is particularly significant for women, who typically have lower cardiorespiratory fitness than men at any given age.

The study shows that even small amounts of vigorous movement can have substantial benefits, especially for those who find it difficult to fit in regular exercise.

The beauty of this approach is its simplicity. Rather than setting aside time for exercise, you can build these moments into your daily routine

The Science Behind It

The research, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, followed participants for nearly eight years.

What makes this study particularly reliable is that it used activity trackers to measure movement, rather than relying on people's memories of their activity levels.

The researchers found a "near-linear" relationship between these brief activities and heart health benefits in women - meaning even small increases in daily vigorous movement showed measurable improvements in heart health.

Expert View

As Regina Giblin from the British Heart Foundation emphasises: "The study showed even just a few minutes of vigorous activity per day can significantly lower the risk of overall cardiovascular events for middle aged women, who do not do regular exercise."

This research offers hope and a practical solution for people who struggle to find time for traditional exercise. It shows that every minute of vigorous movement counts towards better heart health, and these minutes can be found in the simple activities we do every day.