Not looking like you'll make it to the gym tonight? Turns out, that's OK. Just watch a movie instead!
According to a new study from the University College of London, a trip to the movie theater can potentially be just as good for your heart as a trip to the gym.
Researchers only studied 77 people... But they did notice that their heart rates were in the same zone during a two-hour movie, as it was during light exercise!
"This level of stimulation can help to build cardio fitness levels and burn fat," the study authors wrote. "Heart rate peaks were also aligned with specific story line moments in the film."
Participants in the study watched the 2019 live-action version of Aladdin. Researchers also mentioned that watching a movie can benefit your mental health as well, as it allows someone to disconnect from stresses just as the gym would.
"The cinema is one of the only places left where you can step away from devices and the outside world and truly switch off," says the study. "Over half of viewers believed that the experience was therapeutic in an emotional sense and felt uplifted by the experience."
Check out the full study HERE.