Are your workouts getting fewer and farther between as we roll into fall? Take heart. They still do you some good, sporadic as they are.

Of course, your best health bet is to get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week. Short of that, though, exercising even a few times a month seems to significantly lower some health risks -- like heart failure.

Every Drop of Sweat Counts
In a study involving over 20,000 middle-aged men, those who reported exercising only one to three times a month were still 18 percent less likely to develop heart failure compared with men who rarely or never broke a sweat. But sweat was key; the study tracked only vigorous exercise -- the kind that gets your body glistening and makes it hard to carry on a conversation. (Hint, hint: Amp up your walk a few times a month.) Exercising hard at least five times a week cut heart failure risk even more: 36 percent. Here’s the ideal walking pace for increasing your lifespan.

But Really, Don’t Sweat It
Oh, dear. Break a sweat? Yeah, we know. Sounds like work! But it doesn’t have to be. It’s easy to overthink exercise and make it seem harder than it really is. Here are some solutions for keeping it simple and slipping some physical activity into even the busiest of days:

• Don’t make it a big event. Follow these guidelines instead and you won’t even notice you’re exercising.
• Choose the right time. Find out whether morning or evening exercise feels easier.
• Keep it local. Stay home and use this free 20-minute beginner workout video.

Keep your heart healthy and strong for life with this live-younger action plan.