One of the worst things you can do for your health? Absolutely nothing. We keep saying it because it matters—moving your body regularly is key to staying healthy, strong, and mentally balanced.

Sitting for too long isn’t just bad for your waistline. It can impact your heart, your energy, your mood—and even your sex life. Studies continue to show that being inactive puts you at risk for a wide range of health issues.

But here’s the good news: even light movement every day—like a brisk 20-minute walk—can reduce your risk of early death by 16 to 30 percent. So before you park yourself for hours on end, check out these 7 surprising (and kind of scary) reasons to get up and get moving.

1. Your Mood Might Drop

Feeling off lately? Long hours of sitting might be to blame. Research has linked sedentary behavior with higher risks of anxiety and depression. One study during the pandemic found that sitting too much negatively affected mental health.

Plus, spending too much time on screens—TV, phones, or games—can stir up anxiety and even interfere with your sleep, making things worse.

Good news? Even short walks or a few minutes of movement can lift your mood. Cardio activity, even in small amounts, is known to reduce symptoms of depression.

2. Your Risk of Cancer May Go Up

Inactivity doesn’t just make you gain weight—it could also raise your cancer risk. A 2021 review found that around 30 to 40 percent of cancers could potentially be prevented by healthy habits like regular exercise.

Excess body fat can trigger inflammation and DNA damage, which in time may lead to cancer. It can also throw your hormones off balance and cause rapid cell growth—both linked to cancer risk. Just another reason to stay active.

3. Your Memory Might Suffer

Lounging too much can harm your brain, too. A study involving nearly 50,000 older adults showed that sitting for more than 10 hours a day increased the risk of dementia—yes, even if you still fit in a workout.

So make it a point to break up your sitting time. Stand, stretch, take a short walk—it all adds up and keeps your brain sharper.

4. Your Blood Sugar Can Rise

Even if you’re not overweight, sitting too long can mess with your blood sugar. A 2020 study found that taking breaks to move around throughout the day helped regulate blood sugar levels, especially for people with type 2 diabetes.

If you’re in the prediabetes range, losing even a small amount of weight and fitting in 150 minutes of exercise a week can significantly delay or prevent diabetes.

5. Your Sex Life Might Slow Down

Carrying extra belly fat doesn’t just affect how your clothes fit—it can affect your sex drive and performance. One study showed that men with waist sizes over 42 inches were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction than those with waists under 32 inches.

Another study found that watching too much TV was linked to lower sperm counts. Less movement = less action, literally.

On the flip side, staying active keeps your blood flowing and your hormones in check, which benefits your sex life.

6. Your Sleep Might Suffer

There’s a strong link between exercise and better sleep. People who move regularly—especially those who do vigorous workouts—report better sleep quality.

A survey found that people who exercise vigorously are nearly twice as likely to sleep well every night. In contrast, half of the people who didn’t work out had trouble sleeping.

Struggling with sleep? Adding more movement to your day can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

7. Your Back Could Be Screaming

Sitting for hours puts serious pressure on your lower back. One study found that just four hours of sitting can increase spinal disc pressure, which leads to discomfort and, over time, disk degeneration.

But there’s an easy fix: change your position every 15 minutes. Whether it’s a quick stretch or walk around the room, your back will thank you.

How to Get Back on Track

You don’t need to schedule an hour-long gym session every day. Short, simple movements throughout your day make a big difference. Even walking around your house, climbing stairs, or stretching can count toward your activity goal.

The Physical Activity Guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate activity per week and two strength training sessions. That’s just over 20 minutes a day—and the benefits for your heart, mind, sleep, and sex life are huge.

So take this as your sign to get up, stretch, walk, dance—whatever gets you moving. Your body will reward you for it.