After a stroke, survivors can increase their odds of living for many more years through activities as easy as a half hour’s stroll each day. A nearly five-year-long Canadian study found that stroke survivors who walked or gardened at least three to four hours a week (about 30 minutes a day), cycled at least two to three hours per week, or got an equivalent amount of exercise had a 54 percent lower risk of death from any cause.

The benefits were highest among younger stroke survivors. Those younger than 75 who did at least that much physical activity had an 80 percent lower risk of death, according to the study published online in the journal Neurology.

“We should particularly emphasize [physical activity] to stroke survivors who are younger, as they may gain the greatest health benefits from walking just 30 minutes each day,” said study author Dr. Raed Joundi of the University of Calgary.

The study included nearly 900 stroke survivors, average age 72, and more than 97,800 people, average age 63, who had never had a stroke. All of the participants were followed for an average of about 4.5 years.

After accounting for other factors that could influence the risk of death, the researchers found that 25 percent of the stroke survivors and 6 percent of those who’d never had a stroke died from any cause during follow-up.

Among the stroke survivors, 15 percent of the people who exercised at least the equivalent of three to four hours of walking each week died, compared to 33 percent of those who didn’t get at least that much exercise, Dr. Joundi’s group reported.