Being able to balance on one leg can be a sign that you’re in good physical shape, added professor in aging and health at Glasgow Caledonian University, Dawn Skelton (via The Conversation). It can be indicative of a longer lifespan, less risk of falls, and brain health, according to the professor. “You are less likely to be able to stand on one leg without a wobble if you have a multitude of medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, stroke or Alzheimer’s disease,” wrote Skelton. 

According to an associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at New York University, Anat Lubetzky, balance is something that should be looked into when the basic vital signs (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and respiration rate) are checked (via Healthline). “It is one indicator in a host of indicators on the general health of a person.”

According to 2022 research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which looked at 1,702 participants with an average age of 61, not being able to stand on one leg for 10 seconds was linked with two times the risk of death from any cause within the next decade. “Typically, a person in their 50s should be able to balance on one leg for around 40 seconds. Someone in their 60s is looking at 20 seconds, and someone in their 70s is around 10 seconds,” explained Lubetzky, per Healthline. 

Now that you know that being able to stand on one leg does more than just improve core strength, here’s how you can do this exercise every day.