Taking the stairs is one of those annoying things we all know is good for us but rarely feels appealing. No matter how fit you might feel, climbing the stairs is always guaranteed to get you a little sweaty and out of breath, which is not ideal when you’re turning up to an important meeting at work.

But tackling the stairs at every opportunity could do more than just give your fitness levels a boost - it could actively extend your life. 

That’s according to a new study by researchers from the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, the findings of which were recently presented at the European Society of Cardiology.

“If you have the choice of taking the stairs or the lift, go for the stairs as it will help your heart,” Dr Sophie Paddock, one of the study’s authors, said. 

“Even brief bursts of physical activity have a beneficial health impact and short bouts of stair climbing should be an achievable target to integrate into daily routines.”

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it’s important to note that this study has not yet been peer-reviewed (a process during which experts in the field independently assess the paper to check the validity of the claims), so we have to take the conclusions with a pinch of salt for now.

However, the figures presented in the study - which took into account the results of nine separate studies on the health benefits of stair climbing - paint an impressive picture of the benefits stair climbing can offer.

In total, the studies included 480,479 participants ranging from 35 to 84 years old. There was an even split between men and women, and the studies included both healthy participants as well as those with a history of heart-related issues, such as heart attacks or peripheral arterial disease. 

After taking all the studies into account, the researchers found that those who regularly climbed stairs had a 24% reduced risk of dying from any cause and a 39% lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular diseases than those who chose not to take the stairs.

Stair climbing was also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease overall, including heart attacks, heart failure and stroke. 

While more research is needed to find out whether climbing the stairs more frequently amplifies these benefits, they believe this could be the case – suggesting it’s important to try to climb the stairs as much as possible when the opportunity arises.

“Based on these results, we would encourage people to incorporate stair climbing into their day-to-day lives,” Dr Paddock added. “Our study suggested that the more stairs climbed, the greater the benefits – but this needs to be confirmed. So, whether at work, home, or elsewhere, take the stairs.”

Of course, the benefits associated with stair climbing aren’t exactly surprising. As well as getting your heart rate elevated (and boosting your cardio fitness as a result), stair climbing is also a brilliant form of resistance training which, alongside helping you to build muscle and bone density, has also been shown to have cardiovascular benefits. 

Climbing the stairs is also a great way to rack up more active minutes per week; the NHS recommends all adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week (or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity like running or HIIT), so gaining just 10 extra minutes from taking the stairs over the course of seven days could make hitting that target a little bit easier.

So, next time you’re faced with the lift vs stairs conundrum, keep this study in mind. Taking the stairs may not be the most fun activity in the world, but it could offer serious benefits.

Images: Getty