A significant new study has revealed that simply picking up the pace while walking may offer powerful protection against irregular heartbeat conditions, potentially slashing the risk by nearly half when compared to walking at a leisurely pace.
“We already knew that being physically active reduces your risk of heart rhythm abnormalities and other types of heart disease,” explained Jill Pell, MD, director of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.
“Walking slowly is still better for your health than spending all day sedentary, but this new study showed that walking more briskly provides additional protection.”
The research shines new light on how not just the number of steps we take, but the speed at which we take them, can influence our heart health in meaningful ways.
Understanding the Rising Threat of Heart Rhythm Abnormalities
Heart rhythm irregularities, medically referred to as arrhythmias, are becoming an increasingly pressing public health issue. These conditions involve disturbances in the normal rate or rhythm of the heartbeat and can range from harmless to potentially fatal.
Among the various types of arrhythmias are:
- Tachycardia: A condition where the heart beats too quickly.
- Bradycardia: A condition where the heart beats unusually slowly.
- Atrial fibrillation (Afib): One of the most common and dangerous arrhythmias, characterized by an erratic and rapid heartbeat that can spike to between 300 and 600 beats per minute, compared to a normal rate of 60 to 100 beats per minute.
Alarmingly, the prevalence of these disorders is on the rise. Cases of Afib alone have doubled over the past 30 years, with nearly 60 million people globally affected by 2019. Left untreated, these irregularities can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and sudden cardiac arrest.
Could Increasing Your Walking Speed Offer Protection?
It’s well-established that physical activity offers considerable benefits for heart health, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and premature death. But the latest study sought to examine whether walking speed specifically could influence the likelihood of developing arrhythmias.
Led by Dr. Pell, the research team tapped into data from the UK Biobank, an extensive health database with information from hundreds of thousands of participants. The researchers analyzed more than 420,000 individuals, all of whom had provided self-reported details about their usual walking pace.
The participants had an average age of 55, with women making up 55 percent of the group. The majority (97 percent) identified as white, and anyone with a pre-existing heart rhythm abnormality at the start of the study was excluded to ensure accuracy.
For nearly 82,000 participants, additional data was available through wearable activity trackers, providing an objective measure of both walking duration and pace.
How the Study Classified Walking Speeds
Participants were divided into three distinct walking speed categories:
- Slow: Less than 3 miles per hour
- Steady (average): Between 3 and 4 miles per hour
- Brisk: Greater than 4 miles per hour
Approximately 6.5 percent of the participants identified as slow walkers, while just over half reported an average walking speed. Around 40 percent described their usual pace as brisk.
Over an average follow-up period of 13 years, nearly one in ten participants developed some form of heart rhythm abnormality.
The Protective Impact of Picking Up the Pace
The study, recently published in the journal Heart, found a compelling connection between walking pace and heart rhythm health. Compared to a slow walking pace:
- A steady pace was associated with a 35 percent lower risk of all arrhythmias.
- For Afib specifically, a steady pace lowered risk by 38 percent.
- Walking at a brisk pace reduced the risk of any arrhythmia by 43 percent, and the risk of Afib by an impressive 46 percent.
“There are many cardiovascular benefits to brisk walking, such as helping maintain a good weight and blood pressure, and now we learn from this study, a lower risk of heart rhythm problems,” said Deepak L. Bhatt, MD, MPH, director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Icahn School of Medicine in New York City.
Dr. Bhatt, who was not involved in the research, added: “The bottom line is that people are better off walking more, and while walking, it is even better to walk at a brisk pace as opposed to just sauntering along.”
Additional Health Benefits Beyond Heart Rhythm
In addition to reducing the risk of heartbeat irregularities, those who walked faster enjoyed other notable health advantages over their slower-walking counterparts.
Participants who maintained a steady or brisk walking pace were less likely to experience:
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Elevated blood sugar levels
- Unhealthy weight gain
Additionally, faster walkers showed lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), a biomarker produced by the liver in response to inflammation. Elevated CRP is linked to a range of health issues, including cardiovascular disease.
“These are all things that make you more likely to develop arrhythmias,” Dr. Pell pointed out.
Some Demographic Groups Benefit More Than Others
Interestingly, the study revealed that certain groups experienced greater heart-protective benefits from brisk walking than others. The strongest associations were seen in participants who were:
- Female
- Under the age of 60
- Living with high blood pressure
- Managing two or more chronic health conditions
- Not classified as obese
Dr. Pell acknowledged that while these findings are promising, more investigation is needed to fully understand them. One surprising aspect was that people who were not overweight or obese appeared to benefit more from brisk walking.
“Being overweight or having obesity raises the risk of heart disease in several ways, including by raising inflammation in the body,” noted Dr. Bhatt.
Another area worthy of further study is the stronger association among women. “The fact that a faster walking pace is even more protective in women than men is great news,” said Dr. Pell.
Women tend to develop Afib less frequently than men, but when they do, they face a higher risk of complications like heart attacks and strokes.
Practical Ways to Increase Daily Walking
Given the potential benefits, experts recommend that people incorporate more walking into their routines—and ideally at a brisker pace.
“Even a modest increase in walking pace can make a big difference in heart rhythm health — especially if you’re in a higher-risk group,” advised John Higgins, MD, a cardiologist at UTHealth Houston who was not involved in the study.
To help people boost their daily step count and pace, Dr. Higgins suggests:
- Opting for stairs instead of elevators
- Parking farther away from entrances
- Taking short walks during lunch breaks
- Adding hand weights for extra resistance
- Choosing hilly routes to increase intensity
- Incorporating walk-jog intervals
Watch for Symptoms of Irregular Heartbeat
Because heart rhythm issues often develop without obvious warning signs, Dr. Higgins encourages people to stay alert to possible symptoms, including:
- Palpitations or feeling like your heart is fluttering
- Fatigue
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest discomfort
- Fainting (in rare cases)
If any of these symptoms occur, especially alongside known risk factors, it’s important to seek medical attention.
Final Thoughts
This comprehensive study adds to a growing body of evidence emphasizing the importance of walking not just more, but faster, for better heart health. The message is clear: moving briskly could help ward off potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorders and improve overall health outcomes.
As Dr. Bhatt succinctly put it: “The bottom line is that people are better off walking more, and while walking, it is even better to walk at a brisk pace as opposed to just sauntering along.”
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