Regular physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Numerous research studies have shown the benefits of exercise on physical and mental wellbeing. Not only does regular exercise help you manage your weight and reduce your risk of developing diseases, it can help prevent and treat mental health problems. It can boost your wellbeing and mood and is a great way to unwind from the stresses of life.

Exercise benefits everyone

No matter their age, everyone benefits from exercise. Getting children active from an early age can instill healthy habits that may last a lifetime. Older people and seniors get huge benefits from keeping active.

Nearly a third of children aged two to 15 are now classed as either overweight or obese. So, it’s more important than ever to get children active. Physical activity for children has several benefits.

• It stimulates the development of the muscles, bones, and joints, as well as the heart and lungs.
• It helps children maintain a healthy weight.
• It gives them an opportunity to interact with other people and make friends.
• It can help young people manage symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Sedentary lifestyles, jobs and long commutes have put us more at risk of the dangers of inactivity compared with previous generations. Guidelines recommend that we take as much opportunity as we can to be active. Adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity over the course of the week. Alternatively, you can do 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise or even shorter amounts at very high intensity (such as sprints or climbing stairs). A combination of intensities is also an option.

It’s also important to do some strengthening exercises on at least two days a week. This could be activities such as heavy gardening or exercising with weights. Aim to do some physical activity every day.

Whatever your stage of life, there are plenty of different exercise options to try. Exercise doesn’t just mean going to the gym or heading out for a run. It may be as simple as walking to and from the shops instead of getting in the car. Or even getting off the bus a few stops earlier.

If you don’t currently do any exercise or haven’t done for a while, it needn’t take much effort to get started. After all, doing some physical activity is better than doing none at all. Even doing a little more exercise than usual can help reduce your risk of certain long-term health conditions. And it doesn’t have to be time-consuming. By becoming more active throughout your day, you can quite easily achieve the recommended activity levels.