An hour of daily running can add seven hours to your life, says study!

New Delhi: Previous studies have shown running to be an effective form of exercise and is known to considerably reduce a person's risk for heart disease and cancer, possibly by regulating weight and blood pressure.

Now, a recent study reported that people who run tend to live about three years longer than those who don't.

The team of researchers carrying out the study decided to take help from available research and investigate the benefits of other forms of exercise and how running was more effective.

According to Time.com, the study's authors found that while other types of exercise like walking and cycling were linked to a longer lifespan, it wasn't to the same degree as running. The researchers calculated that a one-hour run may translate to an additional seven hours added to a person's life.

Furthermore, the researchers found that the improvements in life expectancy leveled out at about four hours of running per week.

There was, however, a strange connection between running and longevity. The data collected by the researchers showed that people who run tend to live longer, running specifically didn't increase life span.

This is probably because runners have an overall healthy lifestyle choices, like weight maintenance, no smoking, little or no drinking, etc. Nonetheless, the findings suggest running is an especially effective form of exercise.

The study also found that runners who also do other types of physical activity have the same lower risk of early death, though combining running with other exercise is "the best choice," the researchers write, Time.com reported.

"Running may have the most public health benefits, but is not the best exercise for everyone since orthopedic or other medical conditions can restrict its use by many individuals," the authors concluded.

The study was published in the journal Progress in Cardiovascular Disease last month.