Staying active has a host of benefits for your physical and mental health, from boosting your mood and giving you more energy to helping you stay fit, and preventing a range of health conditions.
Whatever your age or current level of fitness, you can benefit from becoming more active.
7 Benefits of Physical Activity
- Reduce the risk of disease (such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer) by up to 50%, and reduce the risk of early death by up to 30%.
- Reduce the risk of conditions such as depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
- Help manage existing physical and mental health conditions
- Boost your mood and make you feel happier and more confident
- Help you relax, reduce stress and improve the quality of your sleep
- Improve your mental health and wellbeing
- Help with weight loss and managing your weight.
There are many social benefits to becoming more active too, such as meeting new people, getting out and about, and learning new skills.
How Much Physical Activity Should you be doing?
You should aim to be active and get moving every day. Discover how much physical activity you should be aiming for each week and read our top tips to help you get started.
Getting Active with a Health Condition
If you have a long-term health condition, follow the link below for advice and guidance on getting started with physical activity.