This content references scientific studies and academic research, and is fact-checked to ensure accuracy.

Our teamof licensed nutritionists and dietitians strives to be objective, unbiased, and honest.

Most people agree that driving drunk, smoking cigarettes, and sword swallowing are inherently risky activities.

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What’s surprising is that sometimes doing nothing at allnot moving a musclecan be just as life-threatening.

Not exercising, or even not getting physical activity, is a confirmed risk factor of premature death.

Makes you want to lace up those running shoes, doesn’t it?

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“Exercising” doesn’t have to be as serious as running or hitting the gym.

It can be as simple as walking.

And for that, we have these30 Tips When You’re Walking for Weight Loss.)

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When you do start exercising, verify you’re supplementing your diet with the right foodslike smoothies.

They have incredible benefits:What Happens to Your Body When You Drink a Smoothie Every Day.

You may find it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

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Not getting enough sleep or tossing and turning at night may not seems like something to worry about.

So, poor sleep due to lack of physical activity can be life-threatening.

You may develop high blood pressure.

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Exercise helps your heart pump more efficiently.

If you don’t exercise, over time your cardio-respiratory fitness (CRF) decreases.

So count not exercising as one of the14 Mistakes That Are Making Your High Blood Pressure Worse.

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You’ll likely develop heart disease.

Your memory may fail more easily.

Top-level kayakers are a pretty fit bunch, wouldn’t you say?

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So, consider this experiment that measured their VO2 max after taking a five-week break from their training.

Your blood sugar will get out of control.

And note that Thyfault said “moderate exercise.”

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You may increase your risk for certain cancers.

Does sitting all day increase your risk of getting cancer?

Scientists don’t know.

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What they do know is that sedentary behavior is a risk factor for many chronic conditions and premature death.

Your knees and shoulders may hurt.

The fix is simple but doesn’t happen overnight.

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Your HDL “good” cholesterol will go down.

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week.

“Those activities are enough to get your heart rate up, and you breathing hard.

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That’s generally good for your HDL cholesterol, as well as the LDL, and the triglycerides.”

Your bones may become brittle.

As you get older, calcium from your bones is reabsorbed into your bloodstream.

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One of the key ways to prevent this bone loss is exercising.

If you’re not getting much, you increase your risk for age-related bone weakness.

TheAmerican College of Sports Medicinerecommends weight-bearing exercises that involve jumping (like tennis and basketball) and running.

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Resistance training with weights is also recommended to increase bone density by theNational Strength and Conditioning Association.

You may become depressed.

Meanwhile, exercise is a well-established drug-free treatment for anxiety disorders and depression.

But can inactivitywithout depressive symptomsput one at greater risk for developing symptoms of depression?

Ananalysisof dozens of observational and intervention studies suggests that physical activity could prevent depression.

You’ll likely gain weight.

However, considerable research has shown a correlation between obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.

Think there may be a connection?