Improved longevity, memory, sleep, and more — explore 9 benefits of physical activity beyond weight loss. Plus, the best workouts to achieve your health goals!
The conversation of exercise often brings with it a complex history with beauty standards, weight loss, and self-worth. But the truth is that regular exercise can offer so much more than just helping you “lose weight.”
Research consistently shows that regular movement sharpens your memory, boosts mental health, and can even extend your lifespan. Despite these benefits, only about 33% of women meet the guidelines for weekly aerobic exercise and only 20% for strength training.1 It's time we changed the way we think about exercise!
Here's the best part: you don't need to spend hours throwing weights over your head to reap these benefits (though you absolutely can if that's your thing!)
In this article, we'll uncover 9 research-backed health benefits of exercise that often fly under the radar, along with specific exercises to help you achieve them.
#1 Naturally Boosts Mood
Research shows that even a single 15-minute exercise session could lift your mood for at least 30 minutes. One review found that college students experienced reduced anxiety after a short walk at 50% of maximum heart rate, while 15 minutes of cycling increased positive feelings in all age groups.2
Research suggests aiming for 10-30 minutes of moderate exercise if you're trying to unlock its mood-boosting effects.2
Best exercises to improve your mood:
- Mind-body activities like yoga and tai chi
- Moderate-intensity strength training
- A brisk 10-minute walk for a quick lift
2. Builds Stronger Bones
Regular exercise helps build and maintain bone density — a crucial health factor for women with increased osteoporosis risk. A meta-analysis of 97 studies revealed that mind-body exercises like yoga effectively promoted lumbar spine and femoral neck density, while resistance training was best for hip bone density.3
Another study of 625 adolescents found soccer and gymnastics were associated with higher bone densities vs. swimming.4
Best exercises for bone health:
- Weight-bearing activities (brisk walking, jogging, and dancing)
- Resistance training with weights or bands
- Mind-body practices like yoga
3. Improves Balance and Reduces Fall Risk
More than 1 in 4 older adults experiences a significant fall every year.5 These incidents can lead to serious injuries, fractures, and loss of independence, making improved balance and stability even more critical as we age.
A meta-analysis found that physical exercise effectively improves dynamic and static balance in older adults, reducing fall risk. Leg strength and balance training are key here!6
Best exercises for balance improvement:
- Tai chi (shown to be especially effective)
- Walking backward or on uneven surfaces
- Weight-shifting exercises, step-ups, and lunges
4. Enhances Heart Health
Like all muscles, your heart grows stronger with consistent exercise. Aerobic exercises train your heart to pump more efficiently, improving circulation, blood pressure, and heart rate. Resistance training is also important, promoting "good" HDL cholesterol while lowering "bad" LDL cholesterol.7
Regular exercise also helps reduce the risk of heart disease, with one review of 63 studies finding that exercise-based cardiac rehab reduced CVD-related mortality and heart attack risk.8
Best exercises for heart health:
- Brisk walking, cycling, swimming (30 minutes, 5 days/week)
- Resistance training twice weekly
- Interval training for added benefits
5. Supports Better Sleep Quality
One review of 22 RCT studies found that regular exercise (like walking, cycling, and yoga) significantly improved sleep quality, reduced insomnia severity, and decreased daytime sleepiness.9
Another study found that resistance exercise and stretching helped participants fall asleep faster and sleep longer.10
Best exercises for better sleep:
- Moderate-intensity aerobic activity
- Resistance exercise (2-3 times weekly)
- Stretching or yoga, especially before bedtime
- Morning exercise to help with insomnia
6. Boosts Energy Levels
While it seems counterintuitive, regular physical activity actually increases energy rather than depleting it. As Harvard Medical School explains, exercise helps create more mitochondria in our cells, which convert food and oxygen to fuel. Essentially, more mitochondria lead to more energy!11
Exercise also improves oxygen circulation — one review found that active adults had a significantly lower risk of experiencing fatigue compared to sedentary peers.12
Best exercises for an energy boost:
- Short, 10-minute brisk walks throughout the day
- Morning exercise routines to energize your day
- Moderate-intensity activities that don't leave you exhausted
- Light strength training to build energy-producing muscle
7. Promotes Joint Health
According to the Arthritis Foundation, movement increases synovial fluid (acts like a lubricant for your joints). Exercise also enhances nutrient circulation to joint cartilage and strengthens the muscles surrounding joints, creating a protective "brace" effect.13
For example, strong quadriceps muscles support knee joints, reducing pressure and decreasing pain. Exercise also helps combat chronic inflammation, with studies showing just 20 minutes of moderate activity produces anti-inflammatory effects.13
Best exercises for joint health:
- Water aerobics
- Low-impact cycling
- Strength training for muscles around troubled joints
- Range-of-motion exercises and gentle stretching
8. Sharpens Memory and Brain Health
Regular physical activity is linked with improved cognitive function and memory, with some studies even suggesting it could help slow the progression of cognitive diseases like Alzheimer's. Additionally, it may promote brain plasticity and increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) — a protein that supports nerve growth.14
One review even found that a single exercise session benefitted the brain's encoding and consolidating of memories.14
Best exercises for brain health:
- Aerobic activities like brisk walking, running, or cycling
- Coordination challenges like dance or tennis
- Combined aerobic and resistance training programs
- Activities requiring learning new skills or movements
9. Linked with Longer, Healthier Lives
The ultimate benefit of regular physical activity might be its impact on longevity. Research has long since linked regular physical activity with reduced risk of strokes, high blood pressure, heart disease, type II diabetes, and several types of cancer. 15
According to the NIH-supported study of over 400,000 adults, women who exercise regularly were 24% less likely to experience death from any cause (compared to 15% for men) and had a 36% reduced risk for cardiovascular events (compared to 14% for men).15
Even more remarkable, women achieved the same longevity benefits as men in about half the time. Women achieved an 18% reduced mortality risk with just 140 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week, while men needed 300 minutes. With strength training, women saw a 30% reduced risk of cardiovascular-related deaths, compared to just 11% for men.1
The CDC estimates 110,000 deaths could be prevented every year if adults over 40 increased their activity, even just by 10 minutes a day.15
Best exercises for longevity:
- Regular moderate-intensity aerobic activity (140+ minutes weekly)
- Strength training at least twice weekly
- A mix of different activity types for comprehensive benefits
- Consistency over intensity for long-term results
Exercise Options to Fit Your Lifestyle
Finding the right movement should feel good, not painful or overwhelming. If you have physical limitations, many effective alternatives can help you gain health benefits while working within your body's needs.
For joint pain:
- Water exercises that relieve joint pressure while offering resistance training
- Recumbent bikes
- Chair Yoga
For limited mobility:
- Seated strength exercises with resistance bands
- Chair-based range-of-motion movements
- Adaptive equipment
For time constraints:
- High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- "Exercise snacking" (multiple 5–10 minute sessions)
- Active transportation like biking or walking
- Incorporating movement into daily tasks
Remember: a little movement can go a long way. So choose activities you enjoy and leave you feeling better, not worse.
References:
- Women may realize health benefits of regular exercise more than men. (2024, February 20). National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/women-may-realize-health-benefits-regular-exercise-more-men
- Chan, Shing-Yu & Liu, Guanmin & Liang, Danxia & Deng, Kanfeng & Wu, Jiamin & Yan, Jin. (2019). Special Issue – Therapeutic Benefits of Physical Activity for Mood: A Systematic Review on the Effects of Exercise Intensity, Duration, and Modality. The Journal of Psychology Interdisciplinary and Applied. 153. 1-24. 10.1080/00223980.2018.1470487.
- Zhang, S., Huang, X., Zhao, X., Li, B., Cai, Y., Liang, X., & Wan, Q. (2021). Effect of exercise on bone mineral density among patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia: a systematic review and network meta‐analysis. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 31(15-16). https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16101
- Agostinete, R. R., Fernandes, R. A., Narciso, P. H., Maillane-Vanegas, S., Werneck, A. O., & Vlachopoulos, D. (2020). Categorizing 10 Sports According to Bone and Soft Tissue Profiles in Adolescents. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 52(12), 2673–2681. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002420
- National Institute on Aging. (2022, September 12). Falls and Fractures in Older Adults: Causes and Prevention. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/falls-and-falls-prevention/falls-and-fractures-older-adults-causes-and-prevention
- Papalia, G. F., Papalia, R., Diaz Balzani, L. A., Torre, G., Zampogna, B., Vasta, S., Fossati, C., Alifano, A. M., & Denaro, V. (2020). The Effects of Physical Exercise on Balance and Prevention of Falls in Older People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 9(8), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm9082595
- Pinckard, K., Baskin, K. K., & Stanford, K. I. (2019). Effects of Exercise to Improve Cardiovascular Health. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 6(69). https://doi.org/10.3389/fcvm.2019.00069
- Stewart, K. (2019). 3 Kinds of Exercise That Boost Heart Health. Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/3-kinds-of-exercise-that-boost-heart-health
- Xie, Y., Liu, S., Chen, X.-J., Yu, H.-H., Yang, Y., & Wang, W. (2021). Effects of Exercise on Sleep Quality and Insomnia in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.664499
- D’Aurea, C. V. R., Poyares, D., Passos, G. S., Santana, M. G., Youngstedt, S. D., Souza, A. A., Bicudo, J., Tufik, S., & de Mello, M. T. (2019). Effects of resistance exercise training and stretching on chronic insomnia. Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry, 41(1), 51–57. https://doi.org/10.1590/1516-4446-2018-0030
- MD, T. G., & MD, H. R. (2021, July 1). Does Exercise Really Boost Energy levels? Harvard Health; Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/does-exercise-really-boost-energy-levels
- Puetz, T. W. (2006). Physical Activity and Feelings of Energy and Fatigue. Sports Medicine, 36(9), 767–780. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200636090-00004
- 8 Ways Exercise Helps Your Joints | Arthritis Foundation. (n.d.). Www.arthritis.org. https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/physical-activity/getting-started/8-ways-exercise-helps-joints
- Loprinzi, P. D., Roig, M., Etnier, J. L., Tomporowski, P. D., & Voss, M. (2021). Acute and Chronic Exercise Effects on Human Memory: What We Know and Where to Go from Here. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 10(21), 4812. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10214812
- CDC. (2024, April 24). Benefits of Physical Activity. Physical Activity Basics; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/index.html
