Experts recommend doing at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 to 150 minutes of high intensity exercise each week, or an equivalent combination of both.

Aerobic exercise, or cardiovascular (cardio) exercise, focuses on increasing your heart and breathing rate.

With cardio, your muscles need more blood and oxygen than when they’re at rest. This causes your heart and lungs to work harder. Over time, this can make these parts of your body stronger and lead to several physical, emotional, and psychological health benefits.

Cardio encompasses many types of activities. Some activities, like walking, can be done at a moderate pace. Others, like running, biking, jumping rope, or swimming laps, can be done at a more intense pace.

Keep reading to learn more about the recommended amount of cardio exercise, the pros and cons of doing cardio every day, and how cardio can help you manage your weight.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS)Trusted Source recommends doing a certain amount of cardio exercise each week.

For people ages 18 years and older, the recommendation is:

  • at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity; OR
  • at least 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity; OR
  • an equivalent combination of both

If you can’t perform this much physical activity due to chronic conditions or physical limitations, experts recommend doing as much as you’re able to.

Children ages 6 to 17 years should do at least 1 hour of moderate to vigorous intensity exercise daily, with at least 3 hours of vigorous intensity activity weekly.

In the past, healthcare organizations recommended doing cardio activity for at least 10 minutes at a time to reap the most benefits.

But in 2018, the USDHHSTrusted Source found that all cardio exercise, regardless of how long or short, is beneficial. The important thing is to remain active over the week.

If you engage in moderate-intensity workouts, such as a brisk walk, then 30 minutes every day can help you reap a variety of benefits. You could break this up throughout the day, too. For example:

  • two 15-minute walks
  • three 10-minute walks
  • four 7.5-minute walks

In fact, some researchTrusted Source found that breaking up 30 minutes of daily moderate intensity walking into three 10-minute blocks may be more beneficial than doing all of your walking in one session.

There’s no recommended upper limit on the amount of cardio exercise you should do daily or weekly.

A 2012 studyTrusted Source found that doing up to 60 minutes of cardio exercise daily is safe and appropriate, especially if weight loss is a goal.

However, some research found that you shouldn’t exceed more than 4 to 5 hours (240 to 300 minutes) of vigorous intensity exercise weekly because doing more can increase the risk of cardiovascular complications. Researchers also recommended limiting vigorous activity sessions to 40 to 60 minutes maximum.

The limits of how much cardio exercise is safe vary from one person to the next. It also depends on:

  • your level of fitness
  • your overall health
  • any underlying health conditions

But in general, the following symptoms may suggest you’re overdoing it:

  • muscle soreness that lingers
  • painful joints
  • exercises that were once easy become more difficult
  • decreasing interest or enthusiasm for exercising
  • poor sleep

It’s important to get at least 1 rest day weekly to let your body rest, heal, and adapt to metabolic changes. On your rest day, consider active recovery like going for a light intensity walk, bike ride, or doing chores around the garden. Rest day doesn’t mean staying sedentary.

If you haven’t exercised for some time, or you’re recovering from an injury or illness, consider speaking with a doctor about how to safely begin a cardio routine, and how long and how often to work out.

Also, talk with a doctor if you have a condition that may restrict the kinds of exercise you can safely do. This includes heart disease, respiratory problems, arthritis, or any type of joint issue.

Daily cardio exercise has its share of pros and cons. And it’s important to understand what they are, as these factors can affect your health.

Pros of daily cardio exercise

  • improves your heart function and cardiovascular health
  • helps you sleep better at night, especially if you exercise earlier in the day
  • improves blood flow and helps manage high blood pressure
  • improves your body’s use of fat as an energy source, which can help with weight management
  • improves your lung function and overall respiratory health
  • boosts your mood, increases your energy, and lowers stress

Cons of daily cardio exercise

  • physical and mental exhaustion
  • loss of muscle mass, which can occur if you don’t fuel up with enough calories to prevent your body from drawing energy from muscle tissue
  • injury due to overtraining

Weight loss happens when you maintain a calorie deficit for a consistent period of time. This means you burn more calories than you consume daily.

Cardio exercise can help you manage a calorie deficit because it has calorie-burning effects.

For example, 30 minutes of brisk walking (3.5 miles per hour) can burn around 140 calories. That equates to 980 calories per week, or nearly 4,000 calories a month. Walking on an incline can even increase the number of calories you burn in a cardio session.

However, it’s important to note that weight loss comprises many different components, of which cardio is only one.

For instance, it’s important to incorporate at least 2 daysTrusted Source of resistance training each week that targets all the body’s major muscle groups. Resistance training can help you maintain or build lean muscle mass during weight loss.

Other components that are key to weight loss includeTrusted Source:

So, while cardio may contribute to weight loss, it’s only one piece of the puzzle. You don’t need to do cardio every day to lose weight. Doing so may even increase your risk of fatigue and injury.

Before starting a cardio workout routine, take stock of your fitness level and be realistic about what an exercise program would be like for you.

If you’ve been sedentary for a while, start with short workouts of low intensity. As you start to build up your endurance, you can make your workouts longer, but not more intense.

Once you’re used to longer workouts, you can start to slowly increase the intensity of your cardio workout.

Also, keep these safety tips in mind:

  • Warm up for a few minutes with a brisk walk or a few minutes of calisthenics. Cool down the same way.
  • Skip a workout if you feel sick or you don’t have much energy.
  • Hydrate with fluids before, during, and after your workout.
  • Try to avoid running or jogging on uneven terrain that could increase your risk of an ankle injury or fall.
  • Stop if you feel sudden pain or have trouble catching your breath.

Yes, a 30-minute cardio workout daily is usually considered safe for most people. However, consider doing a mix of moderate and high intensity workouts during the week to prevent injury, burnout, and fatigue.

People who have chronic health conditions may not be able to do as much cardio exercise. But it’s still important to try to be as active as possible.

This depends on whether you’re doing moderate or high intensity cardio. Consider aiming for at least 20 to 30 minutes of cardio daily, which can be a mix of high and moderate intensity exercise.

A 1-hour cardio workout daily may be too much, especially if you regularly perform high intensity workouts and don’t allow any recovery days during the week.

Cardio is a type of exercise that focuses on increasing your heart and breathing rate.

Healthcare organizations recommend getting at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of high intensity exercise weekly, though you may want to consider doing more.

If you’re new to cardio exercise, or you have an injury or underlying health condition, be sure to speak with a doctor before starting a new exercise routine.