In this article
  • Could exercise help us to live a longer, healthier life? 
  • How much exercise should we be doing? 
  • Does exercise type, duration or intensity matter? 
  • What are the health risks of not exercising? 
  • What major illnesses can exercise help to protect us against? 
  • Key points to consider 

Could exercise help us to live a longer, healthier life? 

 Exercising has been reported to have significant benefits for health.1-4 It is proposed to reduce all-cause mortality by approximately 30%.4 Its immediate effects include decreased blood pressure and improved sleep, whilst long-term benefits include weight loss, better bone strength, better balance and coordination, and improved immune function.5 Exercise activates the natural immune system, resulting in increased anti-inflammatory immune responses in the musculoskeletal (muscles, bones, joints) system.5 

Figures from the 2024-25 Active Lives Adult Survey report showed that approximately 67% of men and 62% of women in England were active. People of lower social class were less active (54%) than those from higher social class (73%), whilst those living in affluent areas were more active (70%) than those living in deprived regions (57%).6 

Also, only 57% of Black people, and 56% of Asian (excluding Chinese) and those from other ethnic groups were active, compared to 69% of people from mixed and non-British White backgrounds, and 66% of White British adults.6 

Most importantly, the groups that could potentially gain the most benefit from exercising, such as people living with a disability or long-term health condition (49%), were usually less active than those without (70%).6  

Research findings report that adults generally spend on average 7 or more hours a day sedentary (i.e. sitting down, including at work, in the car or during leisure time).1 Adults aged 65 years or over are the most sedentary, spending 10 hours or more sitting or lying down.1 

As might be expected, people aged 16-34 years are reported to be the most active (71%), whilst those aged 75 years and older are the least active (44%).6  

Older woman lifting small weights

How much exercise should we be doing? 

The UK Chief Medical Officers’ Guidelines4 recommends that each week adults should: 

  • Do at least 150 minutes moderate intensity activity,1,3 75 minutes’ vigorous activity, or a mixture of both per week 
  • Do strengthening activities on two days 
  • Reduce extended periods of sitting 

In addition, older adults are advised to perform various types of activities designed to improve balance and strength at least 3 days per week, to help to prevent falls.3 

Does exercise type, duration or intensity matter? 

Aquatic exercises were shown to be more beneficial than land-based exercises in improving balance in older adults in a 2024 systemic review and meta-analysis of 29 studies.7 

In addition, the intensity of an exercise was reported to be especially important in reducing the risk of all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality, in comparison to the volume and duration of exercise, based on the observational 2011-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of nearly seven and a half thousand participants.8 

In cancer studies, moderate- to excessive-intensity activity was linked to lower risks of various cancers, particularly breast and bladder cancers. Exercises of all intensities were reported to benefit endometrial cancer.9  

However, in contrast to moderate exercise, excessive exercise may lead to a variety of symptoms, including a higher risk of injury, fatigue, extreme weight loss, muscle tenderness and overall weakness. In addition, it can lead to sleep disruption, depression, anxiety, concentration difficulty, and loss of appetite. Excessive exercise may also make people more susceptible to infection and illness due to biochemical and immunological changes.5 

Older man exercising

What are the health risks of not exercising? 

The UK government have estimated approximately 1 in 3 (34%) men and 1 in 2.5 (42%) women live a non-active life, leading to poor health. Sedentary behaviour is linked to 1 in 6 deaths, costing the UK an estimated £7.4 billion annually (comprising £0.9 billion to the NHS).4 

What major illnesses can exercise help to protect us against? 

Exercising helps us live a longer, healthier life. It reduces the risk of development of several non-communicable, chronic conditions and the risk of all-cause mortality. The following conditions have been shown to benefit from exercise. 

Cancers 

Exercising is estimated to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 20% and colon cancer by 30%.4 Exercise may also prevent the return and/or progression of some kinds of cancers. A 2025 pooled-analysis of data from almost 1.5 million cancer patients reported those who exercised after cancer diagnosis had a significantly lower cancer-specific mortality, especially for breast cancer, followed by prostate, lung, and colorectal cancer. There was a non-significant reduction for skin cancer.9 

Exercise also helps to improve the quality of life of people with cancer by reducing the side effects of chemotherapy, such as pain, nausea, fatigue, and promoting better emotional and psychological health, thus encouraging a positive outlook.10 It also aids in the recovery of cancer by reducing associated risk factors such as being overweight or obese. And it improves bone health and muscle strength. 

Cardiovascular diseases 

Physical inactivity appears to be associated with the widespread prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Conversely, regular exercise is estimated to decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases by up to 35%.4  

Regular exercise of 30-40 minutes per session, 3-5 times per week has been shown to improve blood pressure and promote a healthy resting heart rate in non-active people.11 There is also some evidence that exercise-induced changes in genes may help prevent risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases.12

Other positive effects include decreased chronic inflammation, lower cholesterol levels, the release of exercise-derived factors (exerkines) and changes in the blood vessels and heart tissue.13 

Chronic kidney disease 

Aerobic exercise enhances kidney function primarily by improving muscle growth and strength, and thus heart and lung function, resulting in better blood flow to the kidneys. This is especially important for better outcomes during and after dialysis and/or surgery (kidney transplantation).14 

Cognition and neurodegenerative disorders  

Findings from a 2025 review of systematic reviews and pooled analyses found exercise, particularly of low- and moderate-intensity, improved general cognition, memory, and executive function (mental skills such as working memory, flexible thinking and self-control) across all age groups. Memory and executive function improvements were greater for children and adolescents than for adults and older adults. Also, people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) showed greater improvements in executive function.15 

The findings of a more general review of recent studies, also published in 2025, supported these findings and showed that moderate to high intensity resistance exercise enhanced cognitive function in older adults. This review showed that combining resistance and moderate intensity aerobic exercise for older people with dementia was found to be more effective for reducing the decline in cognitive and motor-cognitive function than aerobic exercise alone. However, other studies have shown mixed results. Emerging data suggests that the addition of cognitive tasks to combined resistance and aerobic exercise increases its effectiveness for cognitive health and wellbeing.16,17 Exercising is proposed to reduce the development of dementia by up to 30%.4 

Aerobic exercise-induced benefits have been shown to be mediated by decreased shrinking of the brain, and an increase in volume in those areas of the brain involved in memory and executive function.17 In addition, exercise also increases the production of neurotrophic factors. These are proteins that are essential for the growth and healthy functioning of nerve cells. These beneficial effects can reduce the risk of degenerative disorders of the nervous system (neurogenerative diseases) such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, as well as inhibit their progression.18 

Long-term resistance exercise has also been reported to increase blood flow in the brain and promote the release of neurotrophic factors, whilst reducing inflammation.16,17

In addition, both regular aerobic and resistance exercise have been reported to enhance the ability of the brain to reorganise and create new neural connections (neuroplasticity), improving cognitive performance in older adults and possibly reducing cognitive decline.18  

 A 2023 review of 100 papers19 reported that aerobic and resistance-based exercise, especially exercise of high-intensity, improves depression. This was associated with a temporary increase in the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. In addition, exercise promotes better mood, enhances self-esteem and generally improves the quality of life of people with depression.20 

Exercise may also reduce the risk of depression by about 30%.4 A 2024 systematic review and pooled analysis reported exercises such as walking or jogging to be particularly effective for both genders in reducing the risk of depression. Strength training was found to be more effective for women and younger people, and yoga or qigong for men and older adults.21  

Woman exercising

Type 2 diabetes  

Exercise can prevent, delay or reverse type 2 diabetes by helping to lower and maintain healthy weight by reducing adipose tissue (fat) and promoting a healthier lifestyle. This correlates with the lowering of blood glucose (sugar) levels and maintenance of normal blood glucose levels.22 These beneficial effects may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about 40%.4  

Sleep disorders  

Regular exercise has positive effects on sleep, including improvement of sleep quality and a reduction in the symptoms of sleep disorders.

It has been found to promote better quality sleep by decreasing stress levels and enhancing mood. It acts by inducing a feeling of well-being, reducing negative emotions, and supporting melatonin production.23 

Key points to consider 

  • Being active and exercising can potentially help you live a longer, healthy life. 
  • Experts recommend that adults should exercise at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise weekly, with strengthening activities on 2 days, and reduce sitting for extended periods.  
  • Older adults should do a variety of activities for balance and strength at least 3 days per week. 
  • Low-intensity exercise may have a greater effect on how long we live, but high-intensity exercise can result in above-average longevity. 
  • Exercising increases your chances of enjoying more years of life in good health by reducing the risk of several chronic illness, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, cognitive and mental conditions, and chronic kidney disease, as well as improving sleep quality. 

Reviewed and updated by Mojitola Idowu, July 2026. 

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References 

  1. Benefits of exercise. NHS. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/exercise-health-benefits/
  2. Health Benefits of Physical Activity for Adults. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/health-benefits/adults.html
  3. WHO guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour. WHO. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/faa83413-d89e-4be9-bb01-b24671aef7ca/content 
  4. Guidance: Physical activity: applying All Our Health. UK Government. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health/physical-activity-applying-all-our-health 
  5. Docherty S, Harley R, McAuley JJ, et al. The effect of exercise on cytokines: implications for musculoskeletal health: a narrative review. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2022 Jan 6;14(1):5. doi: 10.1186/s13102-022-00397-2. PMID: 34991697; PMCID: PMC8740100. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13102-022-00397-2
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