The Benefits of Exercise: How to Get Active and Improve Your Health

 

Physical activities have positive effects on human body and on mental state as well. 

Physical activity is known to have numerous health benefits, and as a result the benefits of engaging in regular activity must be deemed high. 

Here's how exercise can enhance your health and tips on how to get started:

Physical Benefits of Exercise:

#1Reduces instance of Heart diseases

Aerobic activity improves the ability of the heart and blood vessels to circulate blood, decreasing the chances of heart attack, high blood pressure and stroke. 

The exercises such as walking, jogging, cycling, swimming among other exercise help maintain the cardio vascular system.

#2 Helps Manage Weight:

Exercise reduces body calories and hence supports compliance with standard healthy body weight. 

It increases your metabolic rate and when exercising along with a healthy diet is effective for weight loss and maintenance. 

Resistance training, in particular, can help build muscle, which in turn will help boost the resting level of metabolism.

#3 Strengthens Muscles and Bones:

Activities such as lifting weights, yoga and running types of exercise puts some weight on the bones and hence are able to build the muscle and bones. 

This is especially needed in old age to prevent incidence of osteoporosis and fractures.

#4 Boosts Immune System:

Moderate exercise, done explicitly at least thirty minutes at least 3-4 times in a week helps in improving the circulation of white blood cells which play a central role in fighting off diseases.

#5 Increases Longevity:

Researchers have informed that continued physical activity can help a person to live longer due to the existence of many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases.

Mental and Emotional Benefits of Exercise:

#1 Reduces Stress and Anxiety:

Exercise releases Endorphin that are known in the body as the “feel good” hormones. 

It also reduces cortisol levels meaning that the amount of stress and anxiety one feels will be smaller. 

Yoga, running and swimming exercises should be underlined as the most effective ones in fighting stress.

#2 Improves Sleep Quality:

This happens because physical activities have a way of improving your sleep patterns. 

A regular exercise practice can lead to better sleeping habits – who knows, maybe the patient will be able to fall asleep faster and sleep even deeper than you do, caught up in work and everyday worries.

#3 Enhances Cognitive Function:

Physical activity enhances the flow of blood towards the brain leading to better memory, learning, and executive functions. 

It may also decrease cognitive loss due to aging, as well as lower the risk of developing diseases like Alzheimer’s disease.

#4 Improves mood swing and fights depression:

Many specialists have pointed out that an active lifestyle reduces depression because the body produces serotonin or dopamine, which in some way is related to happiness. 

It also enhances the feeling of accomplishment, Leads to increase in self esteem levels and general body health.

#5 Increases Energy Levels:

Taking necessary exercise has a positive impact on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems hence increasing stamina as well as total body energy.

How to Get Active:

#1 Start Small:

First, try out some mild exercises such as walking, light running or swimming in the duration of 20-30 minutes several a week. 

This is done gradually with increase intensity and duration as the individual become fitter.

#2 Incorporate Strength Training:

Schedule aerobic exercises five times a week to reduce stress and pack extra calories and strength train at least two times in a week because it strengthens muscles and bones. 

Department of Health and Social Care advice is to incorporate resistance bands, weights or bodyweight movement such as push-ups and squats.

#3 Find Activities You Enjoy:

The message that exercise has to be boring and unpleasant should be abolished once and for all. 

To make exercise routine, find something that you like doing it can be dancing or going for a hike or playing a sport.

#4 Set Realistic Goals:

Among the necessary skills, effectiveness requires setting SMART goals. 

For example, try and take 10000 steps in a single day or run for 30 minutes, thrice a week.

#5 Stay Consistent:

Regularity is the order of the day when it comes to more benefits that are achievable out of exercise. 

Introduce physical activity into your time line of the day by exercising in the morning or for example taking a walk during lunch time.

Physical activity is very important for the healthy functioning of the human body as well as the brain. 

Exercising will help you live a better quality life, improve your energy levels and reduce the likelihood to getting sidelined by diseases. 

If you are an absolute beginner, use motivation to get started, or when experiencing difficulty in maintaining consistency, find ways to create a schedule that works for you.

Beginner’s can seek advice from their doctors to establish an ideal plan to follow bearing in mind their conditions.