Surprise perk of a 5-minute bike ride

Hopping on your bicycle for even a few minutes a day can give your heart a big boost, report researchers in the journal Circulation.

In their study of 53,723 adults, those who biked for as little as 30 minutes per week were 26 percent less likely to develop heart disease over the 20-year study period than those who didn’t ride at all. According to the study authors, even a short bike ride at a moderate pace works your entire lower body and core, which strengthens the heart.