Regular exercise is important for many aspects of your health.

It can reduce your risk of illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers by up to 50% -- as well as improve sleep, lower stress and anxiety and boost other areas of your mental health.

But if you prefer to stay in shape by playing sports with other people, you may be wondering what you can play at the moment and how to stay safe.

The point is to have no or minimal contact with the person or people you’re playing with -- or the ball or object you’re using to play. So you could try a game of tennis, badminton, golf, kicking a ball between a few people or group cycling, to name a few.

But remember to book and pay for any facilities, such as courts, in advance either online or over the phone, and when you play you should:

• avoid touching your face
• take water with you
• use your own equipment
• choose 1 person to pick up the balls
• keep a distance from the people you’re playing with -- the exact distance will depend on your country’s guidelines
• wash your hands before and after playing
• clean and wipe down any equipment you use