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Why being active matters
Staying active is one of the best things you can do for your health.
It’s free, natural medicine – and the benefits start straight away.
Being active can:
● Lift your mood, boost self-esteem, and reduce stress
● Improve sleep and increase energy.
● Lower your risk of serious health conditions, including:
- Heart disease and stroke
- Type 2 diabetes
- Bowel and breast cancer
- Dementia and depression
- Falls, fractures, and arthritis
- Early death (before 75y)
How much should I do?
Move every day.
● Aim for
- 150 minutes of moderate activity each week (e.g. brisk walking)
- OR 75 minutes of vigorous activity a week (e.g. running)
- OR a mix of both
- Spread activity across the week, e.g. 30 minutes on 5 days.
- Limit sitting. Get up regularly if you’ve been sitting or lying down.
- Strengthen muscles at least 2 days a week (arms, legs, back, tummy, chest, shoulders)
- Include balance and flexibility such as tai chi, yoga or Pilates, especially when older to help reduce falls.
- People over age 65 should do light activity every day and exercises that improve balance and flexibility two days a week.
What counts as activity?
Moderate activity – you feel warmer, breathe faster, and can talk but not sing:
- Brisk walking
- Easy cycling
- Pushing a lawn mower
- Aerobics, yoga, or Pilates (moderate effort)
Vigorous activity – you’re breathing hard and can only say a few words:
- Running
- Swimming
- Fast cycling or uphill cycling
- Hiking uphill
- Martial arts
- Dance or fitness classes
Strengthening activities – work your muscles until you need a short rest
- Carrying heavy shopping bags
- Resistance bands, yoga, Pilates, Tai chi
● Wheeling a wheelchair ● Working with resistance bands
● Lifting and carrying children ● Heavy gardening
● Body-weight exercise (push-ups, planks, sit-ups)
Getting started
- Do something every day – even light movement helps.
- Build up gradually – don’t overdo it at first.
- Choose activities that feel right for your health and fitness.
- Brisk walking is a simple way to begin, try 20 minutes daily or 30 minutes 5 times a week.
- Talk to your GP first if you haven’t exercised for a while, or if you have health concerns.
Making it stick
It’s common to plan activity but not follow it through. Try these tips:
- Buddy up: a partner or class keeps you motivated.
- Set reminders: apps, alarms or diary notes help you show up.
- Make a routine: same time, same place, every day/week.
- Set cues: keep trainers by the door or a water bottle on your desk.
- Shape your environment: make the active choice the easy choice.
Tracking your activity
- Minutes matter. Aim for at least 150 moderate minutes each week.
- Steps help too. Aim for about 7,000 steps a day (even small increases help – e.g. 2,000 → 4,000).
- Use a phone, watch, or simple pedometer to track steps or time.
Apps to try:
- NHS Couch to 5K – builds up running in 9 weeks
- NHS Active 10 – tracks brisk 10-minute walks
Everyday activity for over 65s
Light activity keeps you strong and confident on your feet.
Examples:
- Standing up, moving around your home
- Making the bed, vacuuming, light housework
- Walking slowly, dusting, pottering in the garden
- Standing on one leg while brushing your teeth, to practise balance
Find out more
● NHS website exercise pages have videos, tips and downloadable guides.
● Join your local parkrun free, community walk, jog or run every Saturday morning. No pressure, no time limit and everyone is welcome.
Tip: You don’t need special kit, a gym, or expensive gadgets. Start small, keep going, and it soon becomes part of everyday life.
References and source material
This information is evidence-based and comes from a variety of sources including:
NHS Guidelines:
Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 – NHS
Physical activity guidelines for older adults – NHS
WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour
Daily steps and health outcomes in adults: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis