The Incredible Benefits of Exercise for Physical and Mental Health | Start Exercising Today
We all know exercise is good for us. But do we know how good it is for everyone? From boosting physical and mental health to improving our social interactions, let’s find out how any sort of physical activity can help make our lives better.
If you want to feel healthy, better, and energetic, and even add more years to your life, just start exercising. There is no doubt in this that anyone can have benefits from exercise regardless of age, size, and sex. So, if you need more convincing to start working out, here are several reasons:
Exercise is crucial for health and well-being
- Physical Health: Engaging in regular physical activity helps maintain and improve overall physical health. It reduces the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Regular exercise strengthens the cardiovascular system, improves lung function, enhances muscle strength and endurance, and promotes healthy bone density. Regular trips to the gym or yoga classes are great, but if you don’t have enough time to find time for exercise daily, a brisk walk or taking stairs instead of an elevator will work too.
- Weight Management: You tend to gain weight when you consume more calories from eating and drinking than the number of calories you burn every day. Physical activity plays a vital role in weight management and preventing obesity. Regular exercise helps burn calories, maintain a healthy weight, and build lean muscle mass. It also boosts metabolism, making it easier to achieve and maintain healthy body weight. To maintain your weight, make sure to incorporate at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise in a week.
- Mental Health: Physical activity has significant benefits for mental well-being. Regular exercise releases endorphins, which are natural mood-lifters that promote feelings of happiness and reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Physical activity also improves sleep quality, enhances cognitive function, and boosts self-esteem and body image. Just make sure not to exercise too close to your bedtime; otherwise, you might feel too energized to go to your bed.
- Energy and Vitality: Engaging in physical activity increases energy levels and overall vitality. Regular exercise improves oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues, enhances the efficiency of bodily systems, and strengthens muscles, resulting in increased stamina and reduced fatigue. Regular exercise can increase your confidence in the way you see yourself, which may lead to improvement in your sex life.
- Disease Prevention: Physical activity is a powerful preventive measure against a range of health conditions. It helps control and prevent high blood pressure, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, improves blood sugar regulation, and reduces the risk of metabolic syndrome. Regular exercise also supports a healthy immune system, making individuals less prone to infections and diseases.
- Longevity: Did you know taking more steps a day can reduce the risk of premature death in adults above 40? There are other studies too that show individuals who lead an active lifestyle tend to live longer and have a lower risk of premature mortality. Regular physical activity is associated with a decreased likelihood of developing chronic diseases and age-related decline, contributing to a higher quality of life and increased lifespan. So, make sure to walk at least 6000-10,000 steps daily to live a longer life.
- Social Interaction: Many physical activities, such as team sports, group classes, or outdoor pursuits, provide opportunities for social interaction and community engagement. Building social connections through physical activity can enhance well-being, reduce feelings of loneliness, and improve overall mental health.
Conclusion
It is recommended to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days. However, any amount of physical activity is beneficial, and finding enjoyable activities that fit individual preferences and abilities is key to sustaining an active lifestyle.
If you need assistance with any sort of physical activity, feel free to get in touch with us today!