health.gov Blog

Increasing physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well-being. Physical activity has many well-established mental health benefits that include improved brain health and cognitive function, a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life.

Physical activity can be especially important for older adults because it can improve daily quality of life, physical function, and the ability to perform activities of daily living. Despite the many benefits, less than 14 percent of adults age 65 years and older met the recommendations for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity in 2018. To increase the number of older adults engaging in physical activity across the 5 counties it serves, Active Southern West Virginia (Active SWV) returned to ODPHP’s Move Your Way pilot program.