I do the Five Tibetans, too, though not with utter reliability.

Notable effects: they get rid of lower back pain for me. They strengthen the muscles around my knees. I believe they're the reason I was able to fall safely when I slipped on some ice the winter before last. (Previously, when I fell on ice, I'd twist something and sprain it.)

Normally, I can do at least one of them better than usual. This cheers me up.

I'm inclined to think that by doing them slowly and/or doing fewer of them, you could avoid working up a sweat.

There's free information about the Tibetans online, but I strongly recommend The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan: T5T: The Revolutionary Exercise Program That Restores Your Body and Mind-- it's by a teacher who's taught 700 students, and has a good warm-up set and a lot of advice on modifying the Tibetans if you find them difficult.