For some people, feeling good after a workout doesn’t have to include a painful or exhausting routine.

If you lead a sedentary life, even light physical activity can produce benefits, researchers at the University of Connecticut have found. They studied the habits of more than 400 middle-aged adults and tracked their activities for four days. Among all of the participants, physical activity improved their overall sense of well-being. Light activity produced higher levels of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression. Researchers found that those who had been sedentary before starting light or moderate activity had the biggest gains when it came a sense of well-being.

And the good news is that a feeling of well-being wasn’t tied to the intensity of a workout. Light and moderate activity made the study participants feel better about themselves, while more vigorous workouts were more likely to produce neutral feelings.

The researchers also found evidence that those who do nothing are unhappier than those who exercise. Study participants who were the most inactive also reported lower levels of well-being.

So what defines light activity? Researchers say it can be as simple as a walk that doesn’t substantially increase breathing or heart rate. Moderate activity would be a 15- to 20-minute walk that makes you break a sweat or raises your pulse.

No matter the type of exercise you choose, there are potential benefits. But grunting at the gym or pushing your body too hard might not produce the desired feeling of well-being. Instead, consider that a little effort will go a long way toward making you feel good.