Going to the movie theater counts as a light workout

(KYMA, KECY)- Movie night anyone? A new study suggests that a trip to the movie theater is just as good for your heart as a trip to the gym.

WKRG News stated researchers at the University College London came to that conclusion.

Researchers studied more than 50 people wearing biometric sensors to track their heart rate while watching the 2019 live-action remake of “Aladdin.”

For about 45 minutes of the movie, the viewers’ heart rates rose 40% to 80% higher than the maximum normal resting heart rate, the researchers discovered.

Researchers found that the participants’ heart rates during the two-hour movie were in a zone similar to light exercise.

That’s the equivalent to taking a brisk walk or gardening, researchers said.

Reports show that going to the movies is good for you because it allows you to "disconnect" from other things that may be on your mind.

However, the study did not state if adding popcorn, candy, or soda would affect the results.