Movement Matters Too
Reviewed by Dr. Peter Rawlek, MD, Dr. Valena Wright, MD and Dr. Scott Rollo, PhD
Regular physical activity helps regulate inflammation.
Movement improves how the body uses energy, supports circulation, and helps the system return to balance after stress. When we are not moving, those signals linger longer than they should, and the body stays more reactive than regulated.
It is important to understand the symbiotic relationship between frequent bouts of activity and muscle. A muscle that is regularly activated changes. It shifts from a more passive tissue, a sedentary, underused system, into a critical organ for managing energy properly. With each bout of activity, muscle receptors open to take in new energy, particularly blood sugar, helping stabilize levels rather than allowing large swings.
At the same time, active muscle is not quiet. It releases signaling molecules, often referred to as myokines, that support multiple systems in the body to function more efficiently. These signals reach beyond the muscle itself, influencing gut function, brain health, and overall system regulation. With each step, jump, or hop you take, you are reinforcing that system.
Over time, with frequent short bouts of activity throughout the day, you are essentially turning the key on one of the body’s most powerful anti-inflammatory systems. When used regularly, muscle behaves like one of the body's largest and most influential endocrine organs, helping manage inflammation, regulate blood sugar, and support mental well-being.
But this only happens when the muscle is used. When it sits for hours on end, it becomes, in effect, a sedentary mass in a chair, and that regulatory influence is lost.
Again, it is not about perfection. It is about consistency and giving the body repeated opportunities to turn on that system.
It’s not about perfection, it’s about progression.
