Daily physical activity can help you manage your weight, strengthen your muscles and bones, improve the health of your brain and your ability to do everyday activities.

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

Physical activity may help bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins, and Improve your memory and brain function

 As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, keep off lost weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more.

Research has shown that it's important to get all four types of exercise: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. Each one has different benefits. Doing one kind also can improve your ability to do the others, and variety helps reduce boredom and risk of injury.

The best time to exercise is between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. when your body temperature is at its highest. This means you will be exercising during the time your body is most ready, potentially making it the most effective time of day to work out.