Top 5 Health Benefits of Exercise

Are you considering living a more active lifestyle? Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories. These types of physical activities include:

• Swimming
• Running
• Jogging
• Walking
• Lifting

Chances are, we all could probably use more physical activity in our lives. Statistics indicate that only one in three children are physically active every day. Less than 5% of adults participate in 30 minutes of physical activity each day and only one in three adults receive the recommended amount of physical activity each week.

Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and mentally. It may even help you live longer! Let’s delve into the complete benefits of exercise and why you should adopt it as a lifestyle.

1.  Exercise Can Boost Your Overall Brain Health

Did you know that enrolling in a fitness class like https://www.cardiohaus.com/classes/ can help boost your overall brain health?

It can contribute to better memory and critical thinking skills. When you exercise, the movement increases your heart rate, which promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. This leads to more healthy brain functions as your brain has the juice it needs to act smart.

Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning, to grow in size. Moreover, it can also stimulate the production of hormones that can enhance the growth of brain cells.  Finally, exercise has been shown to reduce changes in the brain that can cause Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia.

As for the psychological effects on the brain, exercise can contribute to more feelings of happiness. It has been shown to improve your mood and lessen depression, anxiety, and stress. If you suffer from any of these mental illnesses, consider exercising regularly for a little serotonin boost. In addition, exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain.

The best part?

You don’t have to be going full out in the gym for you to reap the benefits for your brain. Studies show that even less intense physical activity has been proven to boost moods.

2.  Builds Stronger Muscles and Bones

Exercising regularly also plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones. When you exercise, you are challenging your body to work harder to achieve the workout tasks you’re undertaking. It helps release hormones that promote the ability of your muscles to absorb amino acids. This helps them grow and reduces their breakdown.

This particular benefit is especially crucial for older individuals. As you age, you tend to lose muscle mass, which can lead to injuries and disabilities. Practicing regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength. It helps increase bone density, which reduces over time with age and could lead to complications such as osteoporosis later in life.

3.  It Can Help You Lose Weight

This benefit is obvious but is still important enough to include: exercising can help you lose weight! Studies have shown that inactivity is a major factor in weight gain and obesity. How do we counter this? Regular exercise has been shown to increase your metabolic rate, which will burn more calories and help you lose weight.

This means that your body will be better able to digest food with a fast metabolism. It also helps you maintain your muscle mass and weight loss.

4.  Contributes to More Energy

Exercising can increase your overall energy levels, even long after your workout has ended. If you exercise consistently, you’ll notice you are quick to jump on doing something active.

This is especially true for individuals who suffer from chronic illnesses such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Exercise seems to be more effective at combating such illnesses that make you feel weak and lethargic.

5.  Reduces Risk of Chronic Health Problems

This brings us to our next and final benefit: exercise can help you manage your chronic illnesses and in some cases even help eliminate symptoms completely. Regular exercise has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition while decreasing blood pressure and blood fat levels.

Did you know that lack of regular physical activity is a primary cause of chronic disease? It can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and early death.