The latest trends in fitness are leaning toward the shorter-is-better philosophy — but do dramatically shortened workouts really get the job done?

No one can deny the days of spending hours running, biking or doing any other number of slow, cardio-based exercise sessions are long gone. We simply don’t have the time, and we have come to realize that these long, drawn-out workout sessions don’t give us the best return on our time investment.

But how much of this desire for short, efficient workouts stems from shortened attention spans or just plain laziness? Is there true science behind the claims that 10-minute workouts deliver results?

In fact, there is research that points to the true benefits of short, intense bursts of exercise.

This is great news for all of us with hectic schedules. Here are the top three reasons that 10-minute workouts are worth your time:

1. It burns fat.
Multiple studies have proven the effectiveness of workouts like those in Tabata (named for Dr. Izumi Tabata) and high intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise sessions. These techniques take short bursts of activity and create a heart-pounding workout in 10 minutes or less. The key to making these workouts as effective as possible is to crank up your intensity to the max.

2. It makes you happy.
We all know that exercise releases endorphins, which makes us feel good in the aftermath of a great workout. But don’t worry if you only have 10 minutes to exercise; studies have shown that an intense 10-minute burst of exercise is enough to get those juices flowing.

3. It protects your heart.
According to researchers in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, people who get just seven minutes of intense exercise each day are 45% less likely to die from heart disease. It’s also worth noting that people who maintained their exercise routine for six years or longer saw the greatest benefit.

Not sure where to start? Check out this 10-minute at home work out from the American Heart Association.