Scientists from Australia have discovered that physically active people use about 10% fewer heartbeats per day than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. The study was published in JACC: Advances.

Researchers compared heart rates between athletes and individuals with no athletic training. The average resting heart rate for athletes was 68 beats per minute, while for non-athletes it was 76 beats per minute. Over a 24-hour period, this amounts to approximately 97,920 beats versus 109,440 — a difference of about 11,500 beats per day.“Even though the heart works faster during exercise, the lower resting heart rate more than compensates for that workload,”explained Professor Thomas La Gerche, head of the HEART Laboratory in Melbourne.

Participants in the best physical shape had a resting heart rate as low as 40 beats per minute — nearly half the normal level. A lower resting heart rate is not only a sign of good physical fitness but also a predictor of better heart health and longevity.

According to the researchers, regular exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system, reduces the risk of heart disease, and increases life expectancy. The maximum benefit, however, is achieved not at the level of professional sports, but by moving from a sedentary lifestyle to moderate activity — just a few hours of exercise per week.