The neurologist posted on X, “Another strong reason to be physically active: lower risk of stroke and premature death. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm. The benefits were observed for both stroke and mortality. Bottom line, in the neurologist’s words, is that one doesn’t need to be a marathoner to reap all these benefits. Dr Sudhir Kumar is a veteran neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition. This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
He cited an August 2026 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, where researchers studied the ‘impact of physical activity on stroke and mortality in individuals with and without atrial fibrillation’. The study observed participants for 13.5 years and found that among individuals with AFib, life expectancy increased, with gains of 0.50 years in low physical activity, 0.66 years in moderate physical activity, and 1.15 years in high physical activity. With over 26 years of experience and qualifications including MBBS, MD (internal medicine), and DM (neurology), he treats a wide range of conditions such as dementia, ALS, cerebral palsy, back pain, Canavan disease, and more.
An irregular heart rhythm is called an arrhythmia; therefore, those who have AFib can develop blood clots in the heart.
In the recently published study, the following observations were made: ⦿ Being physically active , even just a LITTLE, was linked to: He stressed that this held true whether or not people had atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to Dr Sudhir. “For people with AFib, staying active was tied to 0.5 to 1.15 extra years of life,” Dr Sudhir shared, citing the study. “Any movement beats none, and more is generally better,” he stressed.

