

Take a walk with the dog, try body-weight exercises or do a yoga video at home. Examples include walking, stair climbing, jogging, dancing, bicycling, yoga, tai chi, gardening, weightlifting and swimming.Īnd remember, you don't need to join a gym to get moving. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy. Almost any form of exercise or movement can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress.


Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits.Īlso, aim to do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week.ĭo what you love. Examples of moderate aerobic activity include brisk walking or swimming, and vigorous aerobic activity can include running or biking. After a fast-paced game of racquetball, a long walk or run, or several laps in the pool, you may often find that you've forgotten the day's irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements.įor most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. This can also lead to positive effects in your body-including your cardiovascular, digestive and immune systems-by helping protect your body from harmful effects of stress. Exercise can provide stress relief for your body while imitating effects of stress, such as the flight or fight response, and helping your body and its systems practice working together through those effects.

Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your step every day.
