Movement Is Medicine

When we hear the phrase “movement is medicine,” it can sound a little… intense. Like you’re about to be prescribed burpees at dawn or told that if you’re not sweating, you’re failing at wellness.

This isn’t about extreme workouts, perfect routines, or suddenly becoming someone who owns matching activewear, although matching work out sets can be a huge motivator for some. Movement as medicine is much simpler than that.

This philosophy mirrors the way Meghan Markle has spoken about movement; intuitive, joyful, and rooted in listening to the body rather than pushing it.

It’s about letting your body do what it’s always known how to do: move.

Your Body Actually Likes Moving

Long before step counts and spin classes existed, humans moved constantly just to live. Walking, squatting, stretching, carrying, reaching, all built into everyday life. Our bodies haven’t forgotten that, even if modern life has convinced us to sit still for most of the day.

When you move, things start working better. Blood circulates more efficiently, joints feel less stiff, muscles support you instead of complaining, and your energy levels often get a quiet boost. Even gentle movement helps your immune system and can reduce inflammation.

In other words, your body responds to movement with a polite little “thank you.”

Movement Helps Your Mood

One of the most underrated benefits of movement is what it does for your mood and mind. You don’t need a science degree to notice that a short walk can calm anxious thoughts or that stretching can make you feel slightly more human after a long day of limited movement.

Movement encourages your brain to release feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins, the same ones people chase through productivity hacks and expensive supplements. The difference? These are naturally produced.

There’s also something grounding about being in your body. When your thoughts are spiralling, movement gently pulls you back into the present. You start noticing your breath, your feet on the ground, the rhythm of your body.

Let’s Redefine “Exercise”

A lot of people struggle with movement because they think it has to look or feel a certain way. If it’s not a 45-minute workout or a perfectly planned routine, they assume it doesn’t count.

Good news: it all counts.

Movement includes:

• Walking to clear your head
• Stretching while waiting for the kettle to boil
• Dancing around the kitchen (especially badly)
• Carrying groceries, doing laundry, gardening
• Playing with kids, pets, or both at once
• Standing up and rolling your shoulders during work
• Taking the stairs, instead of a lift
• Using a sit-stand desk if your work place permits, or you work from home.

Your body doesn’t care if the movement is trendy. It just cares that you’re not frozen in one position all day.

Small movements, repeated often, are incredibly powerful; and much easier to stick with than all-or-nothing fitness plans.

Make It Social

Walking with friends, family, or even new faces is a simple way to get moving and stay motivated. It adds connection, conversation, and a sense of commitment that makes showing up easier.

Start close to home, check in with your local community or ask that neighbour you’ve been meaning to befriend if they’d like to join you.

You can also invite people via social media if that feels comfortable. It’s a great way to stay accountable, build community, and make movement feel more fun and less like a chore.

You Don’t Have to Push Yourself to Benefit

Movement stops being helpful the moment it becomes another thing you’re forcing yourself to do. Medicine shouldn’t feel like punishment.

Some days, your body might enjoy something energising - on days like this, kick things up a notch by making your walks brisk. Other days, it might want slow, gentle movement or just a stretch and a deep breath. Listening to those signals isn’t laziness, its way to go.

This matters even more if you’re tired, stressed, dealing with hormonal changes, chronic pain, or burnout. In those moments, soft movement can be far more healing than pushing through with willpower.

Think of movement as a conversation with your body, not a command.

Making Movement Feel Normal

The easiest way to move more isn’t by finding motivation, it’s by making movement part of your daily routine without overthinking it.

Try asking:

• Where can I add a few minutes of movement today?
• What would feel good right now?
• How can I move in a way that fits my actual life?

Five minutes here and there adds up. Consistency over intensity every time.

The Gentle Truth

Movement is medicine, but it’s not a miracle cure or a moral obligation. It’s simply one of the most natural ways to support your body and mind, available to you every day, in countless forms.

You don’t need to earn it. You don’t need to track it. You don’t need to be “good” at it. It can just be.

Just move a little more than yesterday, in a way that feels supportive, and trust that your body knows what to do from there.

Sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is stand up, stretch, and remind yourself: you were never meant to be still all the time.