If we’ve learned one thing this past year, it’s the value of a strong immune system- and why older adults, who tend to have weakened immune systems, may be at special risk when it comes to infectious diseases. Even if you’ve been vaccinated against Covid, it’s still in your best interests to do all you can to strengthen and improve your immune system, especially given our uncertainty about how long the vaccine protection will last and whether another booster shot will be necessary. So how do you revive and rev up your immune system? The same way you can improve so many other “healthy aging” determinants in your body: move and exercise.

Data demonstrating the value of exercise for a healthy immune system is strong and growing. In fact, the conclusion from a recent study published in the journal Sports Medicine finds, “Regular, moderate to vigorous physical activity is associated with reduced risk of community-acquired infectious diseases and infectious disease mortality, enhances the first line of defense of the immune system, and increases the potency of vaccination.”  In other words, when you move it, you improve it- your immune system, that is. Further, in a recent post in ZME Science, Professor Sebastien Chastin elucidates how physical activity is effective against infectious disease: it both reduces the impact of stress and chronic inflammation and protects against some of the factors more likely to lead to severe and fatal infections, such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cardiac conditions. There’s even evidence that exercise can enhance the cancer-killing properties of immune cells. Bottom line? There are innumerable reasons to keep moving, but especially so in this era of heightened concern about infectious disease.

So how do you keep active in order to keep boosting your immune response? Recent research presented at the American Heart Association Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Conference confirms that we don’t need elaborate gym routines or excessive equipment. All you need to do is accumulate short bouts of activity throughout your day so that by the end of the day, those spurts of movement add up to a robust level of activity. Whether it’s a brisk walk in the morning, followed by some extra flights of stairs, and maybe a long walk to the store entrance with a parking space in the corner of the lot, just try to add on steps however you can throughout the day. A lot of short strolls can lead to a longer life and a stronger immune system. Or, as Tara Parker-Pope suggests in The New York Times, intersperse some “exercise snacks” into your day and you’ll be on your way to a healthier you. And by the way, there’s also now evidence that physical activity may lead to a greater sense of purpose in your life (and that sense of purpose may be just what you need to keep exercising more).

And one final note about the value of that short stroll: You’ll get more bang for your buck if that stroll includes moments of intensity. To get the most out of your walk, try to intersperse some moments (or even seconds) of a quicker and more challenging pace. Recognizing the need for pre-walk warm-ups and post-walk stretches (click here to watch some examples), those moments of intense and more challenging walking intervals will get your heart rate up, your muscles working harder, and provide the added boost to ensure you get all you can from your exercise.