Spring and summer bring sunshine, warmer weather, lush green lawns, and plenty of opportunity to be more active. Let’s take a look at why physical activity is so important to your entire well-being. Why is physical activity or exercise so important? A lack of physical activity is one of the leading risk factors for death. People who are not routinely active have a 20%-30% higher risk of death than those who exercise regularly. Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes are all made worse by a lack of physical activity.