Do you worry about the long-term consequences of sustained stress or depression on your health? Is it possible to mitigate the known risk of heart attacks due to chronic stress or depression?

This could be highly relevant for many entrepreneurs and founders. In our own analysis, 93% of founders reported having felt overwhelmed with pressure or stress from responsibilities, circumstances or relationships, and 55% of founders were in the lowest quartile for cardiorespiratory fitness.

A recent study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, looked at just this. The study found that compared with those without, those with depression who hit the recommended levels of physical activity (over 150 minutes of moderate intensity per week) saw double the reduction of cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks, over a 10 year period.

Using data from over 50,000 adults, the researchers looked at physical activity levels, brain activity, and heart health outcomes over a 10 year period.

The results suggested:

• People who exercised according to guidelines had lower stress-related brain activity.

• This was true even after adjusting for other factors like age, sex, and medical history.

• Higher physical activity was linked to increased activity in the prefrontal cortex, which helps regulate stress responses.

• Regular exercise was associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

• This benefit was more significant in people with depression, with double the reduction of cardiovascular events.

If hitting the recommended guidelines seems daunting, take comfort that the majority of the benefits of being more active are from as little as 15 minutes per day.