You already know that exercise is physical activity for you, but how healthy? Learn how exercise may enhance your life, from mood-boosting to increasing your sex life.
Want to feel better, be more energetic, and even live longer? Just get moving.
Regular physical activity and exercise have many positive health effects that are difficult to deny. Everyone, regardless of age, sex, or physical ability, benefits from exercise.
Need more incentive to go forwards? Here are seven ways that exercising might make you happier and healthier.
1. Exercise Reduces Weight
Exercise may assist sustain weight reduction or avoid excessive weight gain. Calorie burn occurs with physical exertion. You burn more calories when you engage in greater vigorous exercise.
Regular gym visits are important, but don’t stress if you can’t find a significant amount of time to work out every day. Anything you do is preferable to doing nothing at all. Simply increase your daily activity to gain the advantages of exercise. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or work harder at your housework. Key is consistency.
2. Exercise Fights Illnesses And Ailments
Heart illness giving you pause? Want to lower your blood pressure? Whatever your present weight, exercising increases the “good” cholesterol known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and lowers the bad cholesterol known as triglycerides. Your blood continues to flow normally as a result of these two factors, lowering your risk of cardiovascular problems.
Numerous health issues and difficulties are prevented or managed by regular exercise, including:
- Stroke
- Diabetes syndrome
- Elevated blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Many different cancers
- Arthritis
- Falls
Additionally, it may aid cognitive development and reduce the chance of dying from any reason.
3. Exercise Lifts One’s Spirits
Need some emotional support? Or do you need to unwind after a demanding day? Exercise at the gym or a brisk stroll might assist. Different brain chemicals are stimulated by physical exercise, which may make you feel happier, more at ease, and less stressed.
Regular exercise may also help you feel better about your looks and yourself, which can increase your confidence and self-esteem.
4. Exercise Increases Vigor
Tired from doing housework or food shopping? Your muscular strength and endurance may both increase with regular exercise.
Exercise helps your circulatory system function more effectively and distributes oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. Additionally, you have greater energy to do everyday tasks as your heart and lung health improves.
5. Exercise Helps You Sleep Better
Struggling to fall asleep? You may sleep better, deeper, and fall asleep more quickly if you exercise regularly. Just remember to avoid exercising just before night if you don’t want to be too energized to sleep.
6. Exercise Revitalizes Your Sexual Life
Do you feel too worn out or unfit to appreciate intimate physical contact? Regular exercise may raise your energy levels and confidence in your physical attractiveness, which might enhance your sex life.
However, there is more to it than that. Regular exercise may increase arousal in women. Additionally, guys who frequently exercise are less likely than those who don’t to have erectile dysfunction issues.
7. Working Out May Be Enjoyable And Sociable!
Physical activity and exercise may be joyful. They allow you the opportunity to relax, take in the outdoors, or just do things that make you happy. Additionally, engaging in physical exercise might facilitate social interactions with loved ones or close friends.
So join a soccer team, go trekking, or take a dancing lesson. Find a sport you like, and simply start doing it. Bored? Try something new or engage in activities with loved ones or friends.
The Verdict On Exercise
Physical activity and exercise are fantastic methods to feel better, improve your health, and have fun. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggests the following exercise recommendations for the majority of healthy adults:
- Aerobic exercise. Get 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise, 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, or a mix of the two per week. The instructions advise spreading out this activity over the course of a week. At least 300 minutes per week are advised to provide even higher health benefits and help with weight reduction or sustaining weight loss. But even a little bit of exercise is beneficial. The cumulative effects of being active throughout the day might be beneficial to your health.
- Exercising your muscles. At least twice a week, do strength-training activities for all the main muscle groups. When doing each exercise, try to choose a weight or resistance level that causes your muscles to get fatigued after 12 to 15 repetitions.
Exercises that fall under the category of moderate aerobic activity include brisk walking, bicycling, swimming, and lawn mowing. Running, strenuous yard labor, and aerobic dance are examples of activities that qualify as vigorous aerobic exercise. Use of weight machines, your own body weight, heavy bags, resistance tubing or paddles in the water, or exercises like rock climbing may all be considered forms of strength training.
You may need to increase your moderate aerobic exercise even more if you want to reduce weight, achieve certain fitness objectives, or get additional advantages.
Always see your doctor before beginning a new exercise regimen, particularly if you have any worries about your fitness, haven’t worked out in a while, or suffer from chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis.