Whether you like to walk, dance, or play a sport, anything that you do to get your body moving is going to help you maintain and improve your health.

Our bodies were designed for movement. When we move and exercise, we are helping to keep our muscles and ligaments supple, improving blood circulation throughout our body, and working our heart and lungs which helps to make them strong.

Those health benefits serve an important protective function as well.

That means if you do fall ill, or need some form of surgery or treatment, being “functionally fit” in advance means you are likely to make a quicker and fuller recovery.

In the longer-term, being active regularly also greatly improves your chance of good health.

It reduces your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 40%.

It reduces your risk of developing heart disease, a stroke or other vascular problems by 35%.

Regular activity also prevents some cancers – reducing the risk of some of the commonest like colon and breast cancer by 20%.

Finally, we all know that you can get a short-term buzz out of exercising, but long term it also reduces some mental health issues like depression, by 30%!

Physical activity takes many forms and it’s good for you however you choose to do it, so try to find something that you enjoy and that you can build into your regular routine.

How much exercise should I be getting for health benefits?

Every minute of exercise and movement is better for your body than sitting down (also known as being sedentary).

The average adult should aim for 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week to achieve maximum health benefits.

Moderate physical activity is any activity that raises your heart rate and causes you to feel warmer and breathe faster – like a brisk walk, jogging, cycling, or swimming laps. You should still be able to talk normally. Doing the hoovering would also count though it might be a bit less fun for most of us!

Alternatively, vigorous activities make you breathe harder and faster, and you’d struggle to speak more than a few words without pausing for breath. Examples of these types of activities include sprinting, circuit training, and high intensity weight training.

These activities can be broken down into a minimum of 10-minute bursts of activity spread over the week. If you’re not already achieving those levels or near there, that’s ok – it’s never too late to get moving. Start with short bursts of activity and build up to the 150 minutes a week so that it becomes a regular part of your routine that you can stick with.

Low intensity activities that you might not class as exercise are also beneficial to your overall health as they reduce your sedentary time. Examples of these are everyday activities like gardening, doing the housework, walking up and down the stairs, and going for a walk.

If you live with a disability or long-term health condition, being physically active may be more of a challenge. But the overall benefits of physical activity remain the same. Being active can also help you manage your condition through increased strength and improved health.

Mix up your activities to get the maximum health benefits

Try not to fall into a rut of doing just one type of exercise. Mixing up the type of activities you do will help you strengthen different parts of your body and provide different benefits.

Aerobic: These are exercises that strengthen your heart and lungs. Jogging, cycling, dancing, and aerobics are good examples. These are the activities you should aim to do for 150 minutes a week.

Strength: These exercises help us to build up and maintain our muscle mass, which we lose naturally as we age and are important to help you maintain your functional fitness and independence.

Exercises with a resistance band, or body weight exercises like squats and lunges, or even just getting up and out of a chair and sitting back down again several times, are all good ways to get started. Aim to do strength exercises at least 2 days a week.

Stretching and balance: Regular stretching and balance activities will help you to maintain flexibility and help you feel steadier on your feet. As we age our muscles can shorten and don’t function as well, which increases the risk of muscle cramps, joint pain, and increased risk of falling. Aim to do activities that involve stretching and balancing two days a week, such as dance, tai chi, and yoga.

Physical activity and your mental health

Being physically active can help you to manage and improve your mental health, too.

Exercise enhances feelings of wellbeing and provides a natural boost to your mood. Physical activity has been shown to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, increase your energy levels, and helps you sleep better.

Whether you choose to exercise alone or in a group setting doesn’t impact on the wellbeing benefits, although many people enjoy the social benefits of exercise.

Getting started

If you plan to start on a new exercise programme and have health concerns, then it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor or healthcare team to make sure it’s appropriate for you.

The NHS Keep Active portal (www.nhs.uk/keepactive) has a range of activities and videos that are suitable for all ages and abilities and a good introduction to increasing movement in your day.

Locally, Active Norfolk and Active Suffolk also both have activity finders which can help you find exercise opportunities in your community.

Go on, give it a whirl! Your body will thank you for it.

Dr Frankie Swords is medical director, NHS Norfolk and Waveney.