Movement is medicine. I can't stress that enough.

Our bodies were designed to move.

In reality, we build our lives around convenience.

Virtual meetings.Meals at your doorstep.Packages delivered next day.Our existence revolves around a screen.

We have built our existence to be movement-averse.

Let me be clear: modern-day conveniences are amazing, but they have essentially erased the days when movement was naturally baked into your routine.

I believe this mindset contributes to the rise of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Now more than ever, you must be intentional with your movement.

It's well established in the scientific literature that exercise is one of the most powerful longevity tools we have for healthspan and lifespan.

What is even more underappreciated are the positive effects on brain health.

In today's newsletter article, we will cover the short- and long-term benefits of exercise.

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The Short-Term Benefits of Exercise

"I'll wait until I feel better to exercise."

I understand that knee-jerk reaction. When we are stressed, pushed, anxious, or exhausted, the last thing our brain tells us to do is go exercise.

The truth is, movement is one of the most powerful things we can do to address the fires in our lives.

When your mind feels stuck, move your body.

It changes your state of mind.

I'm not referring to running a marathon. Even a short 20-minute walk can have a noticeable impact.

Here's what a simple walk can offer:

• Your nervous system downshifts. Moderate movement lowers circulating cortisol within 1-2+ hours after you walk and shifts you out of sympathetic "fight or flight" mode.
• Your mood improves. ​This is the real physiological basis for what people call a "walk it off" feeling — it's not just a saying.​
• Natural light is an added plus. ​Morning or midday sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is tightly linked to mood regulation and sleep quality​.
• You get a break from rumination. Even a short walk interrupts the mental loop of stewing over a problem, which is often more useful than trying to "think your way out" of a difficult situation.

The Long-Term Benefits of Exercise

The short-term benefits are significant, but the long-term benefits are what's really impressive.

As mentioned above, exercise is one of the most powerful longevity tools we have for healthspan and lifespan.

It's also one of the most powerful lifestyle interventions when it comes to depression, anxiety, and neurocognitive protection.

It prevents depression before it starts, and the dose is smaller than you'd think. A ​landmark meta-analysis in JAMA Psychiatry​ found that adults getting about 2.5 hours a week of brisk walking — roughly 20 minutes a day — had a 25% lower risk of developing depression. Even half that amount still produced an 18% reduction.

You do not need to become a professional athlete to get the benefits. Going from doing nothing to doing something yields the greatest increase in benefit.

It quiets anxiety even at the population level. ​A large meta-analysis of 13 prospective cohort studies,​ published in Depression and Anxiety, found that adults meeting standard activity guidelines had roughly a 29% lower risk of developing an anxiety disorder — primary prevention, not just symptom management.

It protects the brain against neurodegenerative diseases. Long-term exercise upregulates BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and IGF-1 (Insulin-like growth factor 1) — signaling that supports neuron and blood vessel growth. While simultaneously ​reducing neuroinflammation, preserving hippocampal volume, and lowering the long-term risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.​

Important: mental health struggles are dramatically underappreciated. Making foundational changes like regular exercise is important. However, if you are dealing with mental health issues, it's always best to seek professional support when needed.

The Bottom Line: Move

The short- and long-term brain health benefits are remarkable, yet most of us aren't taking advantage of them.

The most recent national data, from the 2024 National Health Interview Survey, found that:

• ​Only 47.2% of US adults meet the federal aerobic activity guideline​.
• Add in the strength-training component of the full guidelines, and the number drops further: ​only around 20–24% of adults meet both​.

Roughly 80% of us are falling short.

I don't share those numbers out of judgment.

I share them because the benefits we've walked through — the same-day calm, the years added to your cognitive health, the meaningful drop in depression and anxiety risk — aren't hypothetical.

They're available to almost everyone, but most of us leave these benefits on the table.

Life rewards effort.

That's true in the gym and true in general.

Exercise builds the physical strength and stamina you need to do the things you actually want in life. Now you know it does the same for the brain, the part of your body that decides whether you want to do them in the first place.

If you take one thing from this newsletter, it’s this: on the days you feel the least like moving, that's usually the strongest signal that you need it.

Not a hard workout. Not an hour. Just 20 minutes, outside, moving.

Your brain will thank you today.

Your future self will thank you more.

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P.S. Don't forget to follow my podcast for free on ​Spotify​ or ​Apple Podcasts​

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