Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories. There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, and walking, to name a few. Being active has been shown to have numerous health benefits, both physically and mentally. It may even help you live longer.
Here are the top 10 ways regular exercise benefits your body and brain.
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Exercise can make you feel happier
Exercise has been shown to improve your mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. A 2019 review found that just 10–30 minutes of exercise is enough to improve your mood. Exercise may increase brain sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine, hormones that relieve feelings of depression. It may also increase the production of endorphins, which help produce positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain. Stopping exercise may also affect your mood. A 2017 review found that active people who stopped exercising regularly experienced significant increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety, even after only a few weeks.
Exercise can help with weight management
Inactivity may play a major factor in weight gain and obesity, which can lead to health complications. Exercise can help you manage your weight by helping with energy expenditure, also known as spending. Your body spends energy in three ways: digesting food, exercising, and maintaining body functions like your heartbeat and breathing. A reduced calorie intake may lower your Benefits of Exercise metabolic rate, which can temporarily delay weight loss. However, regular exercise may increase your metabolic rate, burning more calories and helping you manage your weight. Combining aerobic exercise with resistance training may also maximize fat loss and muscle mass maintenance, helping you manage weight, maintain lean muscle, and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Benefits of Exercise is good for your muscles and bones
Exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones. As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass, strength, and function, leading to an increased risk of injury. Practicing regular physical activity is essential to reducing muscle loss and maintaining strength as you age. Exercise also helps build bone density. A 2022 review found that regular exercise significantly improved bone density in the lumbar spine, neck, and hip bones, which may help prevent osteoporosis later in life. Impact exercises like gymnastics, running, or soccer may help promote higher bone density than no-impact sports like swimming and cycling.
Benefits of Exercise can increase your energy levels
Benefits of Exercise can help boost your energy levels while helping to reduce fatigue. This may help as a treatment method if you have certain health conditions, such as cancer. Aerobic exercise boosts your cardiovascular system and improves lung health, which may help with energy levels. Your heart pumps more blood as you move, delivering more oxygen to your working muscles. With regular exercise, your heart becomes more efficient at moving oxygen into your blood. Over time, exercise results in less demand on your lungs, which is one of the reasons why you may find yourself getting less and less out of breath during exercise.
Exercise can reduce your risk of chronic disease
Regular physical activity is a key factor in reducing your risk of chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer (including breast, colorectal, lung, and liver Benefits of Exercise cancer), high LDL cholesterol, and hypertension.
Exercise can help skin health
Your skin can be affected by the amount of oxidative stress in your body. Oxidative stress occurs when your body’s antioxidant defenses cannot completely repair the cell damage caused by compounds known as free radicals. This can damage the structure of the cells and negatively impact your skin. Intense and exhaustive physical activity may contribute to oxidative damage. However, a 2018 review suggests that regular moderate exercise may actually help alleviate the stress caused by free radicals. A 2021 review concluded that regular exercise may help delay the appearance of skin aging, prevent psoriasis, and improve venous leg ulcers.
Exercise can help your brain health and memory
Exercise can improve brain function and protect your memory and thinking skills. Exercise increases your heart rate, promoting the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. It can also stimulate the production of hormones that enhance the growth of brain cells. For example, exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus to grow in size, which may help improve mental function Benefits of Exercise. This is part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning. Regular physical activity is important in older adults because it can help slow down the physiological effects of aging in your brain. It may also help reduce changes in the brain that can contribute to conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Exercise can help with relaxation and sleep quality
Regular exercise can help you relax and sleep better. It may help improve your sleep quality because the energy loss that occurs during exercise stimulates restorative processes during sleep. Also, the increase in your body temperature during exercise may help it drop during sleep, which could promote better sleep. A 2018 study conducted Benefits of Exercise over 4 months in people with chronic insomnia found that both stretching and resistance exercise helped improve sleep quality and duration while decreasing the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.
Benefits of Exercise can reduce pain
Chronic pain can be debilitating. For many years, the recommendation for treating chronic pain was rest and inactivity. However, the authors of a 2021 review suggest that aerobic exercise may serve as a natural treatment option to provide pain relief and Benefits of Exercise improve quality of life. One way that exercise may help prevent or reduce chronic pain is because it increases your pain tolerance over time. Exercise may also help you control pain associated with various health conditions, including chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder.
Exercise can promote a better sex life
Regular exercise may help improve your sex life. For example, engaging in regular exercise can strengthen your heart, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and enhance flexibility, all of which may help improve your sex life. A 2018 review of 10 Benefits of Exercise studies found that exercising for at least 160 minutes per week over a 6-month period could help improve erectile function in males. Another 2018 review suggests that regular exercise may help improve sexual satisfaction, arousal, and well-being in females. Regular resistance training may also help increase sex drive.
Benefits of Exercise for Physical Health
Helps control your weight. Whether you want to drop extra pounds or stay at your current weight, exercise is one of the best ways to do it. It helps you burn calories, and the more intense the activity, the more calories you torch. The amount of calories you burn depends on several factors, including your age, gender, weight, and the type and intensity of the activity.
For example, a 155-pound person will burn about 198 calories doing 30 minutes of low-impact aerobics. If they do 30 minutes of high-impact step aerobics, they could burn upwards of 360 calories.
Strengthens your muscles and bones. Exercise is vital for building and maintaining strong bones and muscles. Weightlifting can boost muscle building when combined with a protein-rich diet.
As you age, your body loses muscle mass and function, putting you at a higher risk of injuries and disabilities. Regular exercise reduces muscle loss and helps maintain strength as you age. Exercise also builds bone density, which is crucial in preventing osteoporosis later in life.
Helps prevent health conditions and diseases. For a good, strong heart, exercise regularly. No matter your current weight, physical activity boosts “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein or HDL) in the body. This is key for keeping your blood flowing smoothly while lowering your chances of getting conditions like:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Certain types of cancer
Benefits of Exercise for Mental Health
Some benefits of exercise on your mental health can even happen right after you work out.
Makes you feel happier. Exercise helps block negative thoughts and distracts you from daily worries. Your body releases chemicals, such as serotonin and endorphins, that trigger a happy feeling. Exercising with other people can boost that effect even more.
Improves learning, thinking, and judgment capabilities as you age. When you exercise, your body releases proteins and other chemicals that change the brain’s function and structure. It also makes the brain grow new cells that help prevent age-related mental decline.
Helps relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. Exercise acts in a similar way to antidepressant medications for treating mild to moderate depression — just without the side effects. Exercising improves brain function, lowers inflammation, and promotes the growth of nerve cells, all of which can help your mood.
Through the release of endorphins, physical activity also helps relieve tension and stress tied to anxiety. Being mindful of what your body is doing and how it feels as you exercise can also help interrupt the flow of negative thoughts and worries.
Helps manage ADHD. Exercise is one of the best ways to take charge of the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It helps improve motivation, mood, memory, and concentration by immediately boosting hormones that support focus and attention.
Tips for Making Exercise a Part of Your Routine
Exercise doesn’t have to be hard or demanding. It also doesn’t need to be expensive or take up too much of your time. Try these tips to make it a regular part of your weekly routine:
- Do fun types of physical activities that you like.
- Involve friends and family.
- Keep track of your progress.
- Find activities you can do even when the weather is bad.
- Aim to get in around 150 minutes of exercise a week. That adds up to about 30 minutes a day for 5 days per week. Spending that little extra time to move your body will give you a wide range of health benefits.
Helps with Diabetes Management
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), different types of exercise can benefit people with, or at risk of, type 2 diabetes by:
- Improving control of blood glucose
- Reducing cardiovascular risk factors
- Helping with weight loss
- Enhancing general well-being
- Delaying or preventing the development of type 2 diabetes
Exercise can also benefit people with type 1 diabetes by:
- Improving cardiovascular fitness
- Strengthening muscles
- Improving insulin sensitivity
The ADA recommends that physical activity and exercise should be prescribed to all individuals with diabetes as part of managing glycemic control and overall health.
Reduces Risk of Some Cancers
The National Cancer Institute states that there is strong evidence linking higher levels of physical activity to a lower risk of the following cancers:
- Colon
- Stomach
- Esophageal
- Breast
- Bladder
- Uterine (endometrial)
- Kidney
For example, a 2016 analysis of 26 breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer studies found a 37% reduction in cancer-specific mortality when comparing the most active patients with the least active. There may also be a link between physical activity and reduced risk of other cancers, although the evidence is less clear.
Improves Mental Health and Mood
Physical activity can help reduce anxiety, and this benefit can start right after a moderate or vigorous exercise session. Longer term, regular exercise can also help reduce the risk of depression.
Improves Bone Health
Regular exercise can help prevent the bone density loss that occurs with aging, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Moderate or vigorous muscle-strengthening and aerobic exercise, as well as bone-strengthening programs, can all help. Real benefits to bone density begin with only about 90 minutes of exercise a week. Weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and dancing, and resistance exercises are particularly good for bone health.
Helps Build and Strengthen Muscles
Weight-bearing exercise helps build strong muscles, which is particularly important for adults as they get older.
Increases Chance of Living Longer
“Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity delays death from all causes,” according to a 2018 report from the Department of Health and Human Services. Even better, the benefits start to accumulate with modest amounts of moderate-to-vigorous exercise. The greatest jump occurs when a person goes from being “inactive” to being “insufficiently active.”
Helps Maintain a Moderate Weight
The CDC says there is good evidence that exercise can help maintain weight over time, although it may take more than the recommended amount to do so. In general, losing weight and then keeping it off also require a healthful, balanced diet. It is easy to overestimate the number of calories that exercise burns. The CDC provides some examples of the calories that a person weighing 154 pounds would burn during an hour of activity for:
- Hiking: 370 calories
- Light gardening: 330 calories
- Running or jogging at 5 miles per hour: 590 calories
Conclusion:
The benefits of exercise are vast and impact both your physical and mental health. From weight control and muscle strengthening to improving mood and cognitive function, regular movement is key to a healthier and happier life. Incorporating exercise into your routine doesn’t have to be complicated. By choosing activities you enjoy and making them a part of your daily life, you can reap the numerous benefits of exercise.
FAQs:
Q: How much exercise do I need to Benefits of Exercise mood?
A: Just 10–30 minutes Benefits of Exercise can improve your mood. Regular physical activity can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Q: Can exercise help with weight loss?
A: Yes, exercise can help with weight loss by increasing energy expenditure and boosting your metabolic rate. Combining aerobic exercise with resistance training can maximize fat loss and muscle mass maintenance.
Q: How does exercise benefit my muscles and bones?
A: Exercise helps build and maintain strong muscles and bones. Regular physical activity can reduce muscle loss and improve bone density, which may help prevent osteoporosis.
Q: Can exercise increase my energy levels?
A: Yes, exercise can boost your energy levels and reduce fatigue. Aerobic exercise improves cardiovascular health and lung function, which can enhance overall energy levels.
Q: How does exercise reduce the risk of chronic diseases?
A: Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high LDL cholesterol, and hypertension.
Q: Can exercise improve skin health?
A: Yes, regular moderate exercise can help alleviate oxidative stress, delay the appearance of skin aging, prevent psoriasis, and improve venous leg ulcers.
Q: How does exercise benefit brain health and memory?
A: Exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the brain, stimulates the production of hormones that enhance brain cell growth, and can improve mental function and memory.
Q: Can exercise help with relaxation and sleep quality?
A: Yes, regular exercise can help you relax and improve sleep quality by stimulating restorative processes during sleep and promoting better sleep patterns.
Q: How does exercise help reduce pain?
A: Exercise can increase pain tolerance over time and help control pain associated with various health conditions, including chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia, and chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder.
Q: Can exercise improve sex life?
A: Yes, regular exercise can strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and enhance flexibility, all of which may help improve sex life.
Q: What types of exercise are best for weight management?
A: Combining aerobic exercise with resistance training is best for weight management as it maximizes fat loss and muscle mass maintenance.
Q: How does exercise benefit older adults?
A: Regular physical activity can help slow down the physiological effects of aging in the brain and reduce the risk of conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Q: Can exercise help with chronic insomnia?
A: Yes, a 2018 study found that both stretching and resistance exercise helped improve sleep quality and duration in people with chronic insomnia.
Q: How does exercise affect oxidative stress?
A: Regular moderate exercise can help alleviate oxidative stress, which can damage the structure of cells and negatively impact the skin.
Q: What are the benefits of aerobic exercise?
A: Aerobic exercise boosts the cardiovascular system, improves lung health, and can enhance overall energy levels.
Q: How does exercise help with mental health?
A: Exercise can improve mood, decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress, and increase the production of endorphins, which help produce positive feelings.
Q: Can exercise help with chronic pain?
A: Yes, aerobic exercise can serve as a natural treatment option to provide pain relief and improve quality of life for those with chronic pain.
Q: How does exercise affect the hippocampus?
A: Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus to grow in size, which may help improve mental function, memory, and learning.
Q: What are the benefits of resistance training?
A: Resistance training can help increase muscle mass, improve bone density, and enhance overall strength and endurance.
Q: How does exercise help with weight management in older adults?
A: Regular physical activity can help reduce muscle loss and maintain strength as you age, which is essential for weight management in older adults.
