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Moving the body includes any activity that uses your energy to move the large muscles in your body. Some activities increase your stamina while others improve your strength, flexibility, or balance.
Exercise of any kind can reduce fatigue and improve sleep, decrease anxiety and depression, and promote brain health. It can also help prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Think of exercise as a low-cost, low-risk treatment for a long list of ailments. Moving your body can improve your ability to do more of the things you love.
An active lifestyle decreases the risks of long-term health problems. Moving regularly decreases inflammation in the body which is at the center of many diseases.
Moving your body on a regular basis lowers your risk for some types of cancer, fatty liver disease, chronic pain, arthritis, even dementia. It also helps relieve anxiety and depression. Some comprehensive practices which include movement, such as yoga, Tai Chi, and qigong, can also help you practice mindfulness and other skills.
Many activities which include movement such as yoga, Tai Chi, strength training, and aerobics can be modified for people with limited mobility due to chronic pain or injury.
Consider what results you’d like to focus on, such as improving strength, flexibility, balance, range of motion, and the mind-body connection. Work with your healthcare provider or a Whole Health coach on a plan to get moving.
Moving your body doesn’t have to involve working out in a gym or joining a sports team — you can bike, walk, swim, garden, play a sport, or play with a child or an animal. You can exercise on your own or with a group, whenever it works for you. Any activity is better than none; even a few minutes a day is beneficial. It’s important to choose activities that you enjoy because you’ll stick with them!
Many VA medical centers offer in-person or virtual activities where you can move your body. Contact your VA facility to find out what’s available in your area.
Check out these resources for ways to get moving.
Veterans Crisis Line:
Call: 988 (Press 1)
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U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420
Last updated February 7, 2025
If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for more resources.
