>> MARK: SOME PEOPLE THINK YOU HAVE TO ROW ACROSS LAKE SUPERIOR OR ICE-BIKE UP A GLACIER TO GET YOUR HEART IN SHAPE, BUT THERE ARE EASIER WAYS.

A NEW EUROPEAN STUDY SHOWS THAT CLIMBING STAIRS INSTEAD OF TAKING THE ELEVATOR REDUCES YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE.

WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT SCALING THE FOSHAY TOWER.

CLIMBING FIVE OR SIX STORIES A DAY CAN REDUCE YOUR RISK OF A HEART ATTACK BY ALMOST 40%.

IT’S LIKE A QUICK HIT OF AEROBIC EXERCISE, NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU START SWEATING, BUT ENOUGH TO LOWER YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND BLOOD SUGAR FOR HOURS AFTERWARD.

MOST AMERICANS DON'T GET ENOUGH EXERCISE, ALTHOUGH OUR TYPING FINGERS ARE CONSTANTLY GETTING A WORKOUT.

UNTIL SOMEONE COMES UP WITH A 25-POUND WIRELESS MOUSE, WE’RE NEVER GOING TO CATCH UP.

WORKING NIGHTS IN THE HOSPITAL, WE WOULD ALWAYS TAKE THE STAIRS TO “CODE BLUE” EMERGENCIES.

THIS WAS RISKY BECAUSE WE WERE GROGGY.

PLUS, OUR STETHOSCOPES COULD FLY UP AND HIT US IN THE FACE.

WE HAD NO IDEA WE WERE GETTING LIFE-SAVING AEROBIC EXERCISE INSTEAD OF SLEEP.

THE BEST THING IS STAIRS ARE ALREADY A PART OF DAILY LIFE.

YOU DON'T NEED TO GO TO A GYM OR PUT ON LYCRA SPANDEX SHORTS, LIKE IN A 1981 OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN VIDEO.

IT'S A LOT SIMPLER, AND CHEAPER, TO FIND SOME STAIRS, AND WAY EASIER THAN A TRIATHLON OR FULL CONTACT KARATE.

YOU CAN EVEN SET YOUR APPLE WATCH TO COUNT STAIRS, JUST LIKE STEPS.

BECAUSE, AS EVERYONE KNOWS, IF IT’S NOT ON YOUR WATCH, IT DIDN’T HAPPEN.

PEOPLE THINK STAIRS ARE RISKY, BUT ELEVATORS CAN BREAK AND GET STUCK BETWEEN FLOORS.

NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN TRAPPED FOR 3 1/2 HOURS ON STAIRS.

PLUS, CHECK OUT “THE SHAFT,” THE 2001 HORROR FILM STARRING NAOMI WATTS.

THE TRAILER ALONE WILL MAKE YOU SWEAR OFF ELEVATORS FOREVER.

SO THINK TWICE BEFORE HOPPING ON THE LIFT.

AND, IF YOU'RE ABLE, HOP UP THE STAIRS INSTEAD.

FOR ME, IT WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY EASY.

ALL I DID WAS MOVE MY COMPUTER AND ALL THE SNACK FOODS TO THE SECOND FLOOR.

THAT’S LIKE 29 OR 30 FLIGHTS A DAY RIGHT THERE.