For most employers today, fitness and physical activity are the backbone of their wellness programs — and with good reason. Staying active and fit provides a host of physical, mental, and emotional health benefits.

Ample research has shown that over time, regular exercise and physical activity may help lower the risk for a host of serious health conditions, including depression, osteoporosis, obesity, heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. It also helps promote longevity.

In the short term, physical activity can strengthen the heart, lungs, and muscles. It increases blood flow to the brain and is thought to enhance working memory, concentration, and other cognitive functions. It may help reduce stress, improve sleep, boost energy and elevate mood. It may even help ease chronic pain.

Complete your profile to continue reading and get FREE access to BenefitsPRO, part of your ALM digital membership.

Your access to unlimited BenefitsPRO content isn’t changing.
Once you are an ALM digital member, you’ll receive:

  • Breaking benefits news and analysis, on-site and via our newsletters and custom alerts
  • Educational webcasts, white papers, and ebooks from industry thought leaders
  • Critical converage of the property casualty insurance and financial advisory markets on our other ALM sites, PropertyCasualty360 and ThinkAdvisor
NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.