Exercise involves physical activity and increasing the heart rate beyond resting levels. It is important for preserving physical and mental health.

Engaging in exercise of any intensity every day is essential for preventing various diseases and other health issues. Learn more about different exercise types and their benefits here.

Physical activity and fitness resources

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People divide exercise into the following broad categories:

This section outlines each of these categories.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise aims to improve the body’s use of oxygen. Most aerobic exercise takes place at moderate intensity over longer periods.

An aerobic exercise session involves warming up, exercising for at least 20 minutes, and then cooling down. Aerobic exercise mostly uses large muscle groups.

Some examples of aerobic exercise include:

Anaerobic exercise

Anaerobic exercise does not use oxygen for energy. People use this type of exercise to build power, strength, and muscle mass.

These exercises are high intensity activities that should last no longer than around 2 minutes before taking a short rest. Anaerobic exercises include:

Agility training

Agility training aims to improve a person’s ability to maintain control while speeding up, slowing down, and changing direction.

In tennis, for example, agility training helps players maintain control over their court positioning by helping them recover well after each shot.

People who participate in sports that heavily rely on positioning, coordination, speed, and balance need to regularly engage in agility training.

The following sports are examples of ones that require agility:

  • tennis
  • American football
  • hockey
  • badminton
  • volleyball
  • basketball
  • soccer
  • martial arts
  • boxing
  • wrestling

Stretching and flexibility

Some exercises combine stretching, muscle conditioning, and balance training. A popular and effective example is yoga, which can improve balance, flexibility, posture, and circulation.

Pilates is another stretching option that promotes flexibility and core strength. Tai chi is also an effective exercise that promotes calm stretching rather than intensity.

Engaging in regular exercise is beneficial for both physical and mental health. Research has shown it can boost a person’s mood, increase energy levels, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

This section outlines the main benefits of exercise.

Boosts mood and mental health

Exercise can improve a person’s mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. According to a 2019 review, just 10 to 30 minutes of exercise is enough to boost a person’s mood.

Many studies have also found exercise to be therapeutic for mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and drug addiction.

Helps with weight management

Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, burns calories and can help a person achieve and maintain a healthy weight for them.

Although they burn fewer calories, anaerobic exercises such as weightlifting can build muscle and improve strength.

Increasing muscle mass causes the body to burn more fat, even when resting. Muscle is the most efficient tissue for burning fat.

Combining aerobic exercise and resistance training may also maximize fat loss and muscle mass maintenance. This could help manage weight and maintain lean muscle.

Reduces the risk of chronic conditions

Much research associates lifelong, regular exercise with a longer health span and a delayed onset of at least 40 chronic conditions.

Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It can also improve life expectancy and symptoms for people with coronary artery diseases.

High intensity exercise also stimulates bone growth and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. A 2023 review showed that strengthening, jumping, and weight-bearing aerobic exercises reduce osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Helps brain health and memory

Regular exercise promotes brain health and can help preserve a person’s cognitive function, or their ability to think.

In fact, many researchers suggest that regular exercise has neuroprotective effects against neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Research from 2021 showed that exercise can cause the hippocampus to increase in size, which may help improve mental function. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that is important for memory and learning.

Regular physical activity is also important in older adults because it can help slow down the physiological effects of aging in the brain.

Improves relaxation and sleep quality

Regular exercise can help with relaxation, including helping people sleep better and alleviating symptoms of sleep disorders.

This is because physical activity increases melatonin production, a hormone that regulates sleep. As a result, exercise can help people fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. Exercise also reduces stress, aiding relaxation.

A 2018 study examined the sleep quality of people with chronic insomnia over 4 months. They found that stretching and resistance exercise helped increase their sleep quality and duration and helped them fall asleep quicker.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for many chronic conditions and deaths worldwide.

A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of the following health problems:

It can also contribute to an increased risk of premature death from all causes, including the complications of obesity.

A busy schedule may make it difficult to find time to exercise. However, there are ways to incorporate exercise into a person’s daily life.

Here are some tips for fitting physical activity into a busy schedule:

  • See which car journeys you can replace with walking or cycling. Is driving to work necessary? If so, try parking half a mile away from the office and walking the final bit.
  • People who commute to work by public transport could try getting off their bus or train a few stops early and walking the rest of the way.
  • Consider walking up and down the stairs at your office instead of taking elevators or escalators.
  • Try to think about the amount of time spent watching television and avoid watching for extended periods. While watching television, one could try light exercises, such as stomach crunches or jumping jacks.
  • If a person enjoys video games, they could consider playing games that encourage physical activity, such as exercise routines on a Nintendo Wii.
  • Vigorous housework, gardening, and going up and down the stairs while doing chores also qualify as physical activity and can help people meet the guidelines productively.

People will likely benefit most from exercises they enjoy that fit their lifestyle.

Some of the examples below are the easiest to fit into a daily routine:

  • Go for a brisk 30-minute walk five times every week.
  • Walk your dog more often or go for walks and jogs with friends.
  • Try to add swimming to your weekly routine, even if it is not every day.
  • Join some exercise classes that are fun, collaborative, and educational.
  • Become a member of a martial arts club. Beginner’s sessions can be gentle and fun.

Exercise can be a gradual learning curve. One should spread sessions across the week and scale up the intensity slowly.

It is a good idea to drink plenty of water during and after exercise. Checking with a doctor is a good precaution to take if someone has a health condition or injury that could affect exercise levels or that exercise could worsen.

While a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise provides the most benefit, any exercise is better than none for people who currently have an inactive lifestyle.

Guidelines

Current U.S. guidelines recommend that people aim to do:

  • at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week
  • at least two strength-training sessions or workouts per week
  • a combination of aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and balancing activities

Sports such as dance and tai chi can be good options for people who want to meet these exercise guidelines, as they count as more than one activity type.

If the guidelines seem like too much, a person can start slow and work their way toward these goals. Even 5 minutes of physical activity provides health benefits.

Learn more

Some people may find it hard to exercise. Here are some helpful exercise tips for different people:

Exercise may be difficult for some people to maintain. Consider the following tips to achieve long-term success:

  • Have a clear goal: Whether for health reasons or otherwise, try to always keep in mind the reason you started increasing your exercise levels.
  • Work at your own pace: Doing too much too quickly can increase the risk of injury and the chance to develop a stable routine. Set targets based on the goals you established at the start of the regimen and celebrate small wins to boost confidence.
  • Enjoy yourself: A regimen is more sustainable if a person enjoys the physical activities that it involves.
  • Join a club with a friend: Joining a fitness club or exercising with a friend may make the sessions more enjoyable.
  • Trainers and teachers can be helpful: People just starting an exercise routine or those looking to improve their routine may benefit from a personal trainer or teacher. They can provide motivation and guidance, helping people track their goals and stay dedicated.
  • Vary your exercises: Change exercise programs every few weeks. Mixing it up can help a person work on different muscle groups and increase the range of benefits. If you enjoy one particular exercise, such as running, try changing the speed and distance of a run or following a different route with more hills.
  • Make it a habit: After a few weeks of regularity, an exercise routine becomes a habit, even if it is difficult or boring at first.

Whether people engage in light exercises, such as walking, or high intensity activities, such as uphill cycling or weight training, regular exercise provides many benefits for the body and mind.

Having a clear goal in mind, choosing activities that bring excitement and enjoyment, and exercising with friends and family can all help build motivation to exercise.