Could A Five Minute Fix Add Years To Your Life? Experts Say It Can

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- In a city where everything moves so fast, even small things can seem overwhelming and chaotic, and time is always precious.

So, what if we told you that by taking five minutes, you could change your life for the better in big ways.

Running is one of the most dramatic quick fixes. As CBS2's Alice Gainer reported, you don't need to log long miles to benefit. A recent study showed that just five minutes of running a day can add three whole years to your life.

Sports medicine doctor Jordan Metzl explained why it works.

"Running is an example of a high intensity workout, so when you ramp up your intensity you can condense the time you need to exercise to a very short period of time," he explained.

Some think it's too good to be true.

"I would believe that 20 minutes of running every day could add three years to your life, yes, but five minutes, no," one New Yorker said.

Metzl argues that in those five minutes, you increase your metabolism, reduce fat, and improve muscle strength adding years to your life.

"Almost everybody can run five minutes in a day," he said.

The benefits of meditation are well known and far ranging from reducing stress to even rewiring your brain.

Many people said they just don't have the time to do it. However, research now shows that just a quick five minute session can work wonders.

"It can help slow your heartbeat, it can slow your respiration, your blood pressure may not be pumping quite so much. You can definitely feel calmer and more relaxed," Dr. Jeptha Tausig said.

Other quick fixes include taking a 5 minute work break to let your mind wander, which can increase productivity.

Taking just five minutes an hour can counteract the negative impact of prolonged sitting which has been linked to more than 30 diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and depression.

"Inactivity is really the main problem of our generation today, it's not obesity, it's inactivity," Dr. Metzl said.

Public relations executive Warren Cohn has bought into that five minute fix. He and colleagues routinely take strolls down long hallways.

"I think it refreshes your mind. It gets the blood flowing," he said.

Some take the stairs, some do desk side squats, experts say the key is to make it routine.

"It's all about changing your behavior, and once you start doing that it's going to make a big difference for you," Dr. Metzl said.

To tackle procrastination work on the task you're avoiding for just five minutes, then when you go back at it, you're more likely to stick with it for a longer time.