BENEFITS OF REGULAR PHYSICAL EXERCISE

 

Any action that uses your muscles and causes your body to burn calories is considered physical exercise. Examples of physical exercises include walking, running, swimming, and jogging to name a few. Regular exercise has many health benefits. All over the world, public health practitioners have encouraged people to undertake a regular physical exercise to improve their health and have a long, fruitful life. The benefits of regular exercise include.

              1) Regular exercise makes you feel happy

People who undertake regular physical exercise don’t suffer from stress and depression. Exercise has been shown to increase brain sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine hormones which relieve feelings of depression and anxiety. Therefore, through physical exercises, one can improve his mental health. Mental health has been of great concern of late no wonder World Mental Health Day is celebrated every 10th of October to raise awareness of mental and emotional health issues.

             2) Regular Exercise can result in weight loss

Research studies have shown that inactivity is the major cause of weight gain and obesity. 

Regular exercises increase the metabolic rate and therefore burn a lot of calories stored in our body resulting in weight loss.

             3) Exercise is good for the muscle and bones

As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass and function, which increases the chances of injury. Regular exercise helps reduce muscle loss at your age. Physical exercises such as weightlifting can stimulate muscle building when adequate proteins are ingested. Exercise helps release hormones that promote your muscles' ability to absorb amino acids. This helps grow the muscles instead of breaking them down.

            4) Exercise can increase energy levels

As one grows older you will hear them lamenting of feeling tired just after a minor task. Regular exercises especially aerobic training results in your heart pumping more blood, taking more oxygen to your working muscles. With time your heart becomes more efficient in moving oxygen into your blood, making your muscles more efficient. Therefore, such individuals have more energy to continue working.

              5) Exercise reduces the chances of getting chronic diseases.

Regular exercises have been known to improve insulin sensitivity, and heart health and reduce chances of high blood pressure by reducing cholesterol levels in your body. High cholesterol levels in our bodies are the major cause of high blood pressure and stroke. Regular exercise can also reduce the chance of developing various heart diseases such as breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, etc.

              6) Exercise improves skin health

The generation of antioxidant defenses and increased blood flow that come from moderate exercise can protect your skin and delay the onset of aging symptoms. Even though prolonged, strenuous exercise can cause oxidative damage, frequent, moderate exercise increases the body's ability to make its own natural antioxidants, which shield cells.

            7) Exercise can improve brain health and memory

Regular physical activities are very important to older people because aging combined with oxidative stress and inflammation promotes changes in brain structure and functions. Exercise has been shown through research to cause the hippocampus part of the brain to grow in size hence improving memory and learning, especially in older adults.

           8) Exercise can improve relaxation and sleep quality

Regular exercise can aid in relaxation and improved sleep. A lot of energy is expended during physical activity, and the body needs enough time to replace the energy it lost while sleeping. Studies have indicated that an increase in body temperature during exercise improves sleep quality by assisting the body's natural tendency to cool off as you sleep.

          9) Exercises reduces pain

In order to lessen discomfort, doctors have long advised rest and inactivity. Contrarily, studies have shown that people with chronic illnesses can have less discomfort and a higher quality of life by engaging in regular exercise. Additionally, it has been demonstrated, that regular exercise lowers pain perception and increases pain tolerance.

        10) Exercise can improve sex life

Physical activity on a regular basis strengthens the heart, improves blood circulation, increases muscle mass, and improves flexibility. This characteristic improves sex life, particularly for older adults. Exercise has been shown to increase sexual activity while improving sexual performance and pleasures.  

Physical activity on a regular basis has numerous advantages. Aiming for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous physical exercise spread throughout the week will help you meet the Department of Health's activity guidelines for adults. Swimming, walking, cycling, and other moderate-intensity activities are examples of moderate-intensity activities. Activities such as running or participating in a strenuous fitness class count as vigorous intensity.