You probably already know that climbing stairs can boost fitness by burning calories and strengthening muscles, but a new analysis has found that the simple exercise may actually prolong your life.
The review, which looked at nearly 500,000 people, found a link between climbing stairs and a reduced chance of dying from any cause. Researchers also found that taking the stairs may lower the risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke.
The findings, which haven’t been published in a peer-reviewed journal, were presented at a conference from the European Society of Cardiology in late April.
“This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis to specifically look at the association between stair climbing as a form of physical activity and cardiovascular risk,” lead study author Sophie Paddock, MD, of the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom, told Health. “It’s been well known for some time that physical inactivity is associated with a significant burden of cardiovascular disease, and many guidelines [and] policies advise us to increase our physical activity where possible.”
It’s important to remember that the study is observational and therefore doesn’t establish causation, Tamanna Singh, MD, the codirector of the Sports Cardiology Center at Cleveland Clinic, told Health. Instead, you can say that “there seems to be an association” between stair climbing and a reduced risk of dying and developing heart disease.
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Researchers reviewed nine studies examining the relationship between climbing stairs and cardiovascular disease and premature death. Those papers included 480,479 participants who were either in good health or had a previous history of heart attack or peripheral arterial disease. Ages ranged from 35 to 84, and about 53% were women.
The team found that people who climbed stairs as a form of exercise had a 24% lower risk of “all-cause mortality,” or dying from any cause, compared to non-stair climbers. Stair climbers also had a 39% lower chance of dying from cardiovascular disease, a category that includes coronary artery disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.
Those who climbed stairs also had reduced odds of developing cardiac events such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
Paddock said the study’s main limitation is that the research it reviewed relied on participants to report their climbing activity. “This may not be fully representative of their actual stair-climbing behaviors,” she said.
She also said there’s a need for more studies “that objectively measure people’s stair climbing behavior,” including the number of steps taken, and how that activity ends up impacting their health long term.
Per Singh, the exercise’s benefits come down to one specific attribute: its vertical nature. Compared to an activity like walking on flat ground, climbing stairs is more of an “exertional challenge for your body to move itself against gravity,” she explained.
This type of movement takes up 9.6 times the amount of energy as sitting, Paddock added.
Not only does this mean that climbing stairs “improves our cardiorespiratory fitness,” Paddock said, but it can also boost other aspects of health. It “strengthens your posterior chain—glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves—which improves overall mobility and musculoskeletal resilience,” Singh said.
According to Paddock, there isn’t enough research to recommend a specific number of flights or an intensity level to achieve the health benefits found in her study.
However, she said some studies suggest that five to six flights of stairs daily (or 50 to 60 total steps) can make an impact. A 2023 study, for example, found a link between climbing at least 50 steps daily and a 20% reduced risk of atherosclerosis, which is when plaque buildup causes arteries to harden.
Nonetheless, “any stairs are better than none,” Singh said.
She noted that taking the stairs, even in cases that “are not systematic exercise regimes,” can help reduce all-cause cardiovascular mortality.
Incorporating stair climbing into your routine starts with simply paying attention to your surroundings. Look for stairs in homes, your workplace, parking garages, and more.
As Singh put it, “If you see stairs, climb them.”
“This type of exercise is accessible to nearly all individuals,” she added.
To stay motivated, Singh recommended creating a stair-climbing challenge at work or downloading an app that tracks the number of steps or flights climbed.
If you do create a stair-climbing routine and it eventually feels too easy, she advised continuing to “build fitness” by increasing the number of steps climbed or the frequency or duration of your workouts.
If you have mobility difficulties or lack access to stairs, try to move your body any way you can, Singh said. Similar benefits can be achieved with other types of exercise, such as swimming, biking, or rowing.
“Any physical activity is better than none,” Singh said. “Your heart really does not care what you do as long as there is a consistent practice of exercise.”
