As we reported recently, a team of scientists from Northwestern University in Chicago has published a study that suggests moderate to vigorous exercise can help improve subjective memory in breast cancer survivors who report memory issues at a higher rate than women who have not had the disease.

Researchers showed that of 1,800 breast cancer survivors, those that got moderate to high levels of exercise had higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of stress, resulting in fewer instances of reporting having trouble with memory.

While the study highlights a simple activity that can drastically improve the lives of women who have defeated breast cancer, other segments of the population can benefit in a huge way from exercise.

It can be easy to shove exercise off to the side in favor of being a couch potato, but you don’t have to join a gym or have a personal trainer to start seeing the benefits of living an active life. And regular exercise isn’t difficult – it can even be fun.

According to the Mayo Clinic, regular exercise carries a wide range of general health benefits, including controlling weight, combatting and helping prevent chronic health conditions like heart disease and high cholesterol, and improving mood throughout the day.

Even a brisk 30-minute walk can begin to bring about some of the benefits of exercise – it raises your heart rate, jumpstarts your metabolism and leaves you feeling energized and confident. Better yet, exercise can improve your night well into the evening hours – it can promote better sleep habits and even improve your sex life.

So while exercise may be a difficult habit to start, it’s an excellent one to maintain throughout life. The recent Northwestern study showed that it can help people in even the most dire of situations – just imagine what it can do for you.

A press release from Northwestern University describing the details of the study can be found here.