August 24, 2026
ByJulie Corliss,
Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
- Reviewed byRobert H. Shmerling, MD,
Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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Atrial fibrillation (afib), a heart rhythm disorder that causes a rapid, irregular heartbeat, leaves people more vulnerable to stroke. Exercise may lower that risk — and even a little bit appears to help, according to a study published Aug. 5, 2025, by the Journal of the American Heart Association
The study included more than 87,340 adults (ages 30 to 99) in Norway, including 6,539 with afib who were receiving standard medical treatment for the condition. Research followed all participants for a median of 13.5 years, capturing data about the incidence of stroke and death from national health registries. People in the study also self-reported how often, how long, and how hard they typically exercised. Researchers then categorized them into four groups, based on their physical activity levels: inactive, low, moderate, and high.
Those in the moderate group exercised enough to meet current physical activity guidelines (that is, they did moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes almost every day, or an equivalent amount per week). The low group did moderate-intensity exercise almost every day for less than 15 minutes or an equivalent, whereas the high group did vigorous exercise almost every day for at least 30 minutes or an equivalent
Compared with people who were inactive, those with a moderate or high level of physical activity had a nearly 20% lower risk of stroke. However, even low physical activity reduced risk by 9%. In addition, a low, moderate, or high physical activity level was linked to an 11%, 18%, and 22% lower risk of death from any cause, respectively
The benefits were similar among people with or without afib, suggesting that the increased risk of stroke among people with afib might be countered at least in part by physical activity. For people with afib, staying active was linked to living an average of six to 14 months longer compared with those who were inactive
Image: © South_agency/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss,
Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
Julie Corliss has been the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter since 2013. She also writes for the Harvard Health Letter, Harvard Women’s Health Watch, and Harvard Men’s Health Watch, as well as for Harvard …
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About the Reviewer
Robert H. Shmerling, MD,
Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. …
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View all posts by Robert H. Shmerling, MD
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