It is ironic that people seem to be quite fond of using death as a verb to describe exercise when it is actually one of the leading factors to a longer and healthier life. With the spring season fast approaching, now is the perfect time to begin good habits that can last a lifetime. Below are ten facts about exercise, how important it is, and why everyone should be doing it.

1. Only 30 minutes of exercise a day (or at the very least three to four times a week) is all that is needed to achieve a healthier life.
2. Exercise improves confidence and helps one to feel better about him or herself simply through having accomplished something difficult.
3. The obvious reward to young and old alike is the weight loose and muscle gain.
4. Having trouble sleeping? Regular physical activity helps the body to fall asleep quicker and deepens the quality of the sleep as long as the exercise does not occur close to nighttime.
5. Exercise produces a chemical in the brain called Serotonin, (culprit behind the runner’s high) otherwise known as the happy hormone. This means consistent exercise reduces risk of “the blues” and can even help with symptoms of depression.
6. Along the same lines, exercise can also literally burn off other unwanted feelings such as stress and/or anxiety.
7. Shockingly, exercise even reduces the risk of heart disease and many types of cancer: growing evidence has shown that there is an association between higher physical activity and lower cancer death rates.
8. Perhaps the benefit that high school students will be most excited to reap is that through delivering oxygen and nutrients to the body tissue, and helping muscles and organs to work more efficiently, exercise actually increases energy.
9. Exercise CAN be fun! There are so many different kinds in order to fit all types of individuals. Try enrolling in a dance class, going hiking through the woods, or taking a dive into the ocean!
10. Remember that exercise works best when paired up with a healthy diet.

While less than 50 percent of Americans between the ages of 20 and 60 make an attempt to exercise regularly, only around 20 percent actually succeed in their efforts. Imagine the overall quality of life Americans could hold if we simply gave up half hour of each day to put towards bettering ourselves.