It sounds like an oxymoron, but scientists say that slow running is healthier than an all-out sprint. In fact, researchers found that people who are classified as light to moderate joggers had lower mortality rates than strenuous runners or those who didn’t run at all.

The Copenhagen City Heart Study found that the sweet spot for jogging was running two to three times weekly at a slow speed for 1 to 2.5 miles. According to BBC Science Focus Magazine, slow running is defined as a pace at which you can converse easily.

“Slow running helps to reduce resting blood pressure and it promotes a stronger heart,” says Dan Gordon, associate professor of cardiorespiratory exercise physiology at Anglia Ruskin University in England. “You’re still putting your system under stress, but what we’re starting to understand is that you don’t need to put the body under excessive amounts of stress to get cardiovascular adaptation.”

Slow running improves the strength and pumping capacity of the heart, but it also boosts health at the metabolic level, improving insulin resistance and encouraging your body to use stored fat for energy. Another benefit is that slow runners recover faster and are less likely to suffer overuse injuries.

The other benefits, says Gordon, are psychological. Slow running still decreases depression and anxiety like other forms of exercise but also allows for greater social contact because you can carry on a conversation during your run. The expert says that since slow running is less intimidating than a challenging long-distance race, more people are likely to get involved.

“If you’re trying to get people physically fit, there’s no better way of doing it than in a group,” Gordon says. “You have that sense of encouragement. People struggle to reach targets when they’re doing it on their own.”

Research has shown that even elite runners train at a slower pace to build their aerobic capacity. This means improving oxygenation to your lungs and legs so you can run farther and faster with less effort. The message is clear that slow running will not only help you live longer but improve your fitness level at the same time.