Moving more through regular physical activity is one of the best ways to benefit your overall health. It can help to keep your heart healthy and lowers your risk of heart disease and stroke.

The benefits of physical activity

Physical health:

• helps to lower (and maintain) your blood pressure, cholesterol and weight
• improves your energy

Mental health:

• lifts your mood
• lowers your stress levels
• improves sleep

Social health:

• helps you feel better about yourself
• improves your motivation level
• taking part in group classes or sports is a great way to meet people and make new friends

How much activity should I do?  

Every bit of movement helps. The national guidelines on physical activity recommend being active for 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity activity. You don’t have to do it all in one go. Aim to do 30 minutes, 5 days a week.

Activities like walking, gardening, dancing, cycling and playing with your kids or grandkids all count. Choose activities you enjoy.

You can move in short bursts or longer sessions – it all adds up:

• Do muscle-strengthening exercises 2 days a week (like lifting, yoga or bodyweight exercises)
• If you’re 65 or older, try to include balance exercises

Cut down on the amount of time you spend sitting or lying down when you’re not sleeping. Sitting too much, even if you are physically active, can raise your risk of heart disease or stroke.

Break up long periods of sitting time with light activity. Try our Escape Your Chair challenge or do some desk exercises to help you get moving at work.

Tips for getting active  

• Before starting any kind of physical activity, it is important to talk to your doctor. They can give you advice on how to get moving safely, and how often you should be active.
• Choose activities you enjoy and vary the activity you do
• Get active with a friend to stay motivated
• Warm up before exercise with some gentle movement
• Warm down after exercise with some stretching
• Plan times for activity into your weekly diary so it becomes a priority
• Set yourself an activity goal each week and work towards a challenge like completing a 5km walk
• Take every opportunity to move throughout the day
• Listen to your body: Stop the activity if you feel unwell or have any pain

Get Active Resources 

Be Active Leaflet

Walk for Heart Health Leaflet