Is a life without movement a life worth living? Movement makes your life and body much healthier, and failure to exercise can bring a host of unwanted symptoms. If you don’t exercise, you may expect to see the number on the scale rise, but that isn’t always a telltale sign of lack of movement. Difficulty sleeping, anxiety, mood swings, and joint pain can indicate that your body needs to move. 

Exercise doesn’t translate to having a gym membership or heading to a yoga studio. Taking a brisk walk through the neighborhood or doing an at-home workout counts towards your movement efforts. A simple 30 minutes of movement per day can keep your body happy. Even if it takes setting an alarm to stand up and move for a few minutes every hour, do it! Continue reading to learn about common signs that indicate your body is craving more movement.

Low Energy

If you feel sluggish at work or have trouble getting over the afternoon slump, your body wants more movement. Nobody has energy that they tap into at will; rather, the body needs to generate energy. Mitochondria are the organelles in the body responsible for generating energy and the best way to improve their function is by engaging in regular exercise. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts can help you accomplish this. 

Stress Or Anxiety

Tension in the shoulders, neck, legs, or even other areas can indicate that you need to move. Your body wants you to get up and go! Regular movement can help increase circulation and loosen up the muscles or prevent imbalances that result from sitting or standing too long. If you don’t regularly exercise, consider starting with gentle yoga to help reduce cortisol levels and elevate your mood. Regular physical activity also promotes relaxation, improves sleep, and helps reduce anxiety, according to a 2023 systematic review. 

You Frequently Get Sick

Now, if you have a toddler, getting sick is often par for the course. If you feel like you keep getting sick or cannot get over a lingering cough, though, you may need to move more often. A 2019 review found that moderate exercise triggered an anti-inflammatory response and regular exercise improves immune function, which decreases your risk of illness. Make sure that you don’t overdo it, though, because over-exercising may reduce immune response.

You Are Constipated

If you need to get things moving, one of the best natural remedies is to do just that: move. A 2019 review and meta-analysis found that people who engaged in 140 minutes or more of aerobic exercise per week improved symptoms of constipation. Other research supports this, presenting that people who move regularly are typically more regular. A 2022 meta-analysis found that moderate levels of activity decreased the risk of constipation. Movement stimulates your intestines to get moving!

Joint Pain And Stiffness

Most people avoid exercise because they think it will cause joint stiffness or general pain. Although you may experience some discomfort in the beginning, you will greatly appreciate the net positive effect in the long run. Physical inactivity is one of the most common causes of stiffness and joint pain. The reason for this is because being sedentary increases inflammation and reduces joint mobility. Regular physical activity, then, supports joint health by promoting the production of synovial fluid, which helps lubricate your joints. 

Brain Fog

Brain fog, although not a recognized medical condition, can be a symptom of many things. An inability to concentrate or difficulty solving problems at work may stem from inactivity. Lack of exercise can reduce blood flow and affect the brain’s ability to function properly. Not only does that affect concentration, but also memory and overall cognition. Researchers note that physical activity enhances blood flow to the brain and promotes neuron growth. That helps to enhance neural connectivity and boost brain health.

Vincent Stevens

Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.