We know regular exercise is good for our physical health, but did you know it’s also associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all ages too? Exercise is essential for slowing age-related cognitive decline and for promoting well-being. If you don’t enjoy sport or exercise, don’t panic, it doesn’t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good - slower-paced activities, such as walking, can have the benefit of encouraging social interactions as well providing some level of exercise.

Article 6 – life, survival and development

Here are few ideas to get you started:

- Take the stairs not the lift

- Go for a walk at lunchtime

- Walk to school or to the shops - perhaps with a friend – so you can ‘connect’ as well

- Get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the final part of your journey

- Take part in a sporting event – Park Run, Race for Life etc

- Walk to someone’s desk instead of calling or emailing

- Join an exercise class – Zumba, pilates/yoga, boot camp

As a family you could:

- Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave on the school run

- Have a kick-about in a local park on the way home from school

- Join a free local health walk

- Get a group of friends together for a walk or run