{"id":6368,"date":"2024-07-06T00:00:30","date_gmt":"2024-07-06T00:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fitolympia.com\/?p=6368"},"modified":"2024-07-06T16:04:53","modified_gmt":"2024-07-06T16:04:53","slug":"10-amazing-benefits-of-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fitolympia.com\/na\/10-amazing-benefits-of-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Amazing Benefits of Exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Exercise is for more than just weight loss. From your nose to your toes, working out has many total-body benefits, both inside and out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you know that exercise should be an essential part of your routine. But the benefits of physical activity go far beyond just physical fitness. Increasingly, more and more research is showing that working out regularly can boost other aspects of your health as well, including cognitive function and emotional well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\u00a0regular fitness routine\u00a0has been shown to have a wide-range of positive health effects, such as a lower risk of cancer and\u00a0\u00a0stroke, better cardiovascular health, stronger muscles, and slowing of bone density loss associated with age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise has also been linked to better brain health and emotional well-being. And a study published in the journal Circulation<\/em><\/a> found that exercise, even without weight loss, may help you live longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how Christopher Berger, PhD, CSCS, an exercise physiologist and clinical assistant professor at Arizona State University in Pheonix, sums it up: \u201cEverything improves with exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And perhaps one of the best new findings about\u00a0exercise\u00a0\u2014 especially if you, like many people, struggle to find the time to fit it into a busy day \u2014 is that all those benefits of physical activity can be had even if you only squeeze in a few minutes of exercise a day. While doctors used to think that we needed to engage in 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day, new research is finding that we can see benefits with shorter bursts of physical activity. \u201cAs little as 15 minutes a day of high-intensity activity that leaves you breathless, like swimming, can kick start your metabolic rate and reduce body fat and increase muscle mass,\u201d says Dr. Berger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a widely-cited study published in February 2013 in the American Journal of Health Promotion<\/em><\/a>, researchers at Oregon State University looked at more than 6,000 American adults and found that even small amounts of physical activity \u2014 like pacing while talking on the phone or doing some jumping jacks during commercials while watching TV, as long as these short bursts of exercise add up to 30 minutes a day \u2014 can be just as beneficial as longer workout sessions at the gym.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you don\u2019t need to sweat buckets to see the benefits of exercise, either. According to the\u00a0physical activity guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)<\/a>, 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise with two days of strength training per week yields the same health benefits as 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise with two days of\u00a0strength training\u00a0each week \u2014 as does a combination of moderate- and high-intensity exercise, plus two strength training workouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So what are some of the many ways exercise can benefit your health? Read on to learn about 10 health reasons to break a sweat today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With additional reporting by Katherine Lee.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Boosts Brain Power<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Research is finding that as we age, exercise may be able to help keep our brains healthy. Three\u00a0studies presented at the 2015 Alzheimer\u2019s Association International Conference<\/a>\u00a0showed that regular exercise may play an important role in protecting your brain from\u00a0Alzheimer’s disease\u00a0and other forms of\u00a0dementia, and may help improve brain function and symptoms such as depression or anxiety in those who have these conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And\u00a0research\u00a0published in November 2017 in the journal\u00a0NeuroImage<\/em><\/a>\u00a0showed that aerobic exercise may be helpful in improving memory function and maintaining brain health as we age. The study, led by researchers at Australia’s National Institute of Complementary Medicine at Western Sydney University, looked at brain scans of 737 people ranging in ages from 26 to 76. The group included a mix of healthy adults, people with Alzheimer’s and other cognitive impairments, and people with a clinical diagnosis of mental illness, including depression and\u00a0schizophrenia. The researchers found that exercises, like riding a stationary bike, running on a treadmill, or walking, slowed down the deterioration of brain size and slowed the effect of age on brain health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Science is also showing that even short bursts of exercise can have a significant impact on your brain function in the short term. A study published in January 2018 in the journal Neuropsychologia<\/em><\/a> found that when participants cycled for 10 minutes (either moderately or vigorously) on a stationary bike, their measured reaction times to a cognitively demanding task were significantly more accurate and faster than when they did the task after not doing any physical activity, meaning their attention was sharper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the next time you\u2019re about to do something that\u2019ll require some focus, like taking a test or giving a presentation, you might want to do some jumping jacks to get your blood flowing first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Helps Prevent Osteoporosis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cExercise of various types can help prevent\u00a0osteoporosis, thinning of bones, fracture risk, and falls that are associated with fractures of the hip, spine, and wrist,\u201d says\u00a0Larry McCleary, MD, retired acting chief of neurosurgery at Denver Children\u2019s Hospital in Colorado, and author of\u00a0Feed Your Brain, Lose Your Belly<\/em>. \u201cTypes of exercise that help include aerobic exercise, resistance training, and even exercises that increase balance and agility.\u201d Tai chi may also be beneficial when it comes to improving balance and muscle strength.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In kids and teens, regular exercise can help build strong bones. In adults, exercise can help slow the loss of bone density that happens with age, and can help improve balance and coordination, which can help prevent falls, says Berger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Helps Our Muscles Age Well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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As people enter their forties and fifties, muscle mass starts to decline because of aging and, in some cases, decreased activity levels. Muscular atrophy can also occur because of health conditions, such as\u00a0joint pain. As we age, it\u2019s important to increase or maintain muscle mass through strength training, not only because it helps burn calories, but also because muscle mass is essential for strength and balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More Exercise Means Better Sex<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Regular exercise can also boost your sex life. \u201cWhen a person is aroused, blood flow rushes to the genitals,\u201d says Stacy Berman, ACE, owner and founder of Stacy\u2019s Bootcamp in New York City. \u201cThe better the circulation, the less likely one is to suffer from sexual dysfunction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working out can also improve mood and boost confidence and self-esteem, all of which improve\u00a0sex\u00a0for you and your partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And exercise stimulates the endocrine system and can improve reproductive function, explains Berger. The endocrine system is made up of glands that secrete hormones in the body; this system plays a key role in regulating metabolism, mood, tissue function, and sexual function. Bottom line: There are a lot of ways your sex life can get a boost from working out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Helps Us Sleep Like Babies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Exercise has long been linked to\u00a0better sleep, according to a\u00a0review article published in December 2014 in the\u00a0American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine<\/em><\/a>. Other research suggests exercise may improve sleep and mood in people with insomnia, too, according to a\u00a0study\u00a0published in October 2015 in the\u00a0Journal of Sleep Research<\/em><\/a>. Conversely, poor quality sleep has been linked to a wide array of health problems, including cardiovascular disease,\u00a0diabetes<\/a>, and depression. Given the fact that getting adequate sleep is so crucial for good health, and that exercise is a low-cost, easily accessible solution that offers lots of other health benefits with no risk or side effects,\u00a0giving exercise a try to improve sleep\u00a0is a no-brainer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regular Exercise Makes for Better Digestion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Although\u00a0constipation\u00a0can have a variety of causes, a lack of exercise can be a major contributing factor. \u201cExercise can help,\u201d Dr.\u00a0McCleary says. \u201cIt also enhances many factors that are indirectly beneficial, such as increased hydration and better dietary intake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Helps Us Manage Stress, Lowering Risk of Depression and Anxiety<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Exercise can have a number of emotional benefits<\/a>. Stress can be caused by elevated levels of the hormones<\/a> cortisol, adrenaline, and norepinephrine. Exercise lowers these hormones, and increases serotonin<\/a>, otherwise known as the happy hormone, which helps reduce stress. Working out can help keep depression<\/a> and anxiety<\/a> at bay. Plus, coping with mood disorders that are often associated with stress<\/a> can be a little bit easier when you are in good physical shape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A\u00a0study\u00a0published in October 2017 in the\u00a0American Journal of Psychiatry<\/em><\/a>\u00a0suggested that even just one hour of exercise of any intensity each week can help prevent depression. The study monitored levels of exercise and symptoms of depression and anxiety in 33,908 adults over 11 years and found that even small amounts of physical activity had a protective effect against depression, regardless of the person\u2019s age or gender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Reduces Cancer Risk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cInactivity is associated with increased risk for a number of\u00a0cancers, including colon and\u00a0breast cancer,\u201d McCleary says. \u201cExercise has been linked with a decreased risk of developing cancer, death from cancer, and recurrence of certain cancers.\u201d The suggested mechanisms at play include exercise\u2019s beneficial effects on the immune and surveillance systems that detect and kill cancer cells, improved cardio-respiratory status, improved hormonal profiles, weight maintenance, and other beneficial metabolic effects, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise Decreases Stroke Risk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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There is an abundance of\u00a0evidence<\/a>\u00a0that shows regular exercise helps with body weight management, and can lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, increase good cholesterol, increase insulin sensitivity, and increase your likelihood of continuing to exercise \u2014 all indicators of better heart health. And given that two of the greatest risk factors for\u00a0strokes\u00a0are\u00a0high blood pressure\u00a0and heart disease, it should come as no surprise that regular exercise helps reduce stroke risk, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some\u00a0research<\/a>\u00a0suggests regular exercise may lower stroke risk by more than 25 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Skin Looks Better When We Exercise<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Exercise speeds up blood flow, which makes for better skin \u2014 oxygen and nutrients are carried to cells throughout the body and waste products are moved out. \u201cIt\u2019s like cleansing the skin from the inside,\u201d Berman says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Skin inflammation can occur when you\u2019re under stress, so relieving stress through exercise might help clear skin blemishes as well. \u201cThis is easily seen when one compares the glowing skin of a conditioned athlete versus the skin of a stressed out, depressed person,\u201d McCleary says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise increases blood flow and is beneficial for every system in the body, says Berger. Whether it\u2019s cardiovascular health, cognitive function, or mood, the benefits of exercise are numerous and varied. So get up and get moving \u2014 your mind, body, and spirit will reap the rewards in the short term and for years to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exercise is for more than just weight loss. From your nose to your toes, working out has many total-body benefits, 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