4 Reasons Why Moving Your Body Regularly Improves Your Life and Overall Well-Being

Movement comes in all shapes and sizes. From moving your body gently to hitting it hard and working with high impact. Everything on the continuum has a place. And no matter what form of movement you are drawn to, these four benefits will prevail.

First: Moving your body works your lymph

That’s right! The crucial part of your vascular system… the part that regulates much of your immunity. Although its primary function is to flush out excess toxins and pathogens from your system, it lacks a natural pumping action to facilitate this process. Differing from the natural pumping mechanism of the heart, which aids the flow of your blood, getting it to where it needs to go.

Movement is one of the only things available to support this pumpless lymphatic action. Therefore, with any exercise, you’re helping your lymph propagate this job.

This is important because your lymph is your main fortification against disease. Having stagnant lymph might create an issue for your general health. The accumulation of toxins and pathogens in your cells, tissues, and liver over time will burden your lymph system.

Signs (to include but not limited to) why your lymph could be sluggish are;

• Proneness to infection
• Skin issues
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Fatigue

Even though movement is one of the most crucial elements of good flowing lymphatics, this does not have to be major. Gentle movement is just fine. Movements like the washing board, sweeping, rowing…to get things going under your arms and in the groin region, where you have a lot of lymph action.

Tip: Cross crawls and rebounding (jumping on a small trampoline) are great exercises to strengthen this system.

Second: Movement is an excellent way to help your hormones balance naturally

You see, exercise can not only release endorphins (the chemical messengers your body uses for pain, inflammation, and stress response) but it might also help to release feel-good hormones like dopamine, oxytocin, and serotonin as well. According to a May 2025 article in Healthline, exercise not only improves physical health but also emotional well-being.

So, if you want to feel better in body, mind, and soul… move it on a regular and consistent basis!

In fact, numerous studies are now highlighting the benefits that exercise and gentle movement provide when functionally integrated into one’s lifestyle. Noted among these are those regarding mood regulation, and in some cases, it proves more successful than some mood-altering pharmaceuticals.

Third: Movement helps to lower stress levels

In my opinion, this is probably the most beneficial reason to motivate you to move your beautiful body. Everything feels worse with stress! If you have chronic illness, chronic symptoms, or chronic overwhelm… You know what I mean here. That is your weak link, or the area you struggle with the most. It’s the issue that flares and will be the thing most triggered by high stress.

So take it down a notch with a little exercise.

You can definitely hit it hard, or you can be gentle, slow, and nourishing. Anything on the continuum will support exactly what you need. It could be walking, yoga, swimming, hiking, or biking. Dancing, aerobics, or pilates… Whatever grabs you, that’s what you do. So you enjoy it and look forward to it. This way, you can celebrate this rather than avoid it or see it as another chore.

“Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries”. Mayo Clinic and Stress Management.

And according to Harvard Health Studies, exercise for the purpose of supporting anxiety and depression can be effective in helping to reduce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Also noted was a reduction in stress-inducing thoughts related to body image, self-esteem, and confidence. By building discipline in other areas of your life, you can reduce stress around procrastination, motivation, and general overwhelm.

Moving your body can help move the needle in your health and wellness.

What would happen in your own life if you felt less stress, worry, anxiety, or nervousness? If you felt better about your looks, were more confident, and had increased self-esteem. Or, what if you just felt more relaxed, energized, calm, patient, or sharp? What if you slept better or found yourself more easily able to handle the pressures of daily life?

Take a minute now to really think about how that could affect your day-to-day existence.

Fourth: Movement helps you feel into your body

We can all probably agree that anxiety, nerves, and racing thoughts have the potential to take you out of your presence and kinda out of your body. I bet most of you have experienced that on one level or another. EXERCISE IS THE ANTIDOTE! From a simple walk to high-impact aerobics or anything in between. Not only does it distract and redirect you, but it helps ‘ground’ you too. It reminds you to be the true you. It helps you stay in your authentic self. Because when you focus on the movements, it’s a lot more difficult to focus on the stress or turmoil you may be feeling in that moment.

Sometimes we can use a little break from it all. Putting our energy into something else. Exercise can give you that, in all its glory. It’s forgiving, imperfect, and human. It’s a precious tool available to us all, and in whatever way we need it.

Here are a few movement hacks I have grown to know and love.

• Dance while doing actions like vacuuming, sweeping/mopping, dusting, or washing dishes.
• Consider a mini trampoline for rebounding. You can use it for 5-10 minutes every other day or even a few times a week. Of course, every day is cool too.
• If you work from home or are at a desk job, try getting up every hour or so and moving your body with squats, cross crawls, or even a few jumping jacks. This is especially helpful for entrepreneurs or content creators like myself. I have noticed that if I get stuck or off track in my work, just moving my body helps me to refocus and also opens up lines of creativity and flow.

Always remember that you have free and easy strategies to use whenever and wherever you need!

How Does Physical Activity Modulate Hormone Responses?
Pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11591795/

How to Hack Your Hormones for a Better Mood
healthline.com/health/happy-hormone

Endorphins: What They Are and How to Boost Them
my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/23040-endorphins

Exercise and stress: Get moving to manage stress
mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress

Exercising to relax
health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/exercising-to-relax

Getting Started: Exercise for Depression
webmd.com/depression/features/cm/exercise

Photo by Hanna Auramenka