It’s well-known that exercise is an important aspect of healthy living, but finding the right time to squeeze a workout into our busy schedules can be difficult. Physical activity is often pushed to tomorrow, next week, and eventually it becomes forgotten altogether. Making time to exercise even as little as 30 minutes per day can produce huge benefits for your short-term and long-term health.
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1. Increased Energy Levels
When you feel as though you constantly need a nap part way through your day, you become easily winded by climbing the stairs, or you find yourself reaching for one more cup of coffee so you can keep your eyes open, it could mean that you need more physical activity. Your body may not be receiving the blood flow and oxygen it requires to be able to keep your energy levels consistent throughout your day, even though you are getting enough sleep. Exercise works your cardiovascular system and causes oxygen and nutrients to be transported efficiently through your body. When your body receives more nutrients at regular intervals, your overall energy levels will increase so you can stay focused all day long.
2. Exercise Reduces the Risk of Disease
Chronic diseases are often caused by lack of regular physical activity. Exercising improves body composition, decreases blood pressure, improves insulin sensitivity, and lowers blood fat levels. As is to be expected, the lack of exercise can increase belly fat and lead to obesity. These factors can up the risk in an individual for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even decrease life expectancy. Regular exercise helps to prevent and manage symptoms of an array of medical issues including:
- Stroke
- Metabolic issues
- High blood pressure
- Type 2 diabetes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Some types of cancer
- Arthritis
- And more!
In older adults, the increase in balance and strength that results from exercise can reduce the risk of injuries from falling. Medium intensity activities and aerobic exercises also promote faster healing when you do take a rare tumble.
3. Exercise Promotes Weight Loss
Adding regular physical activity to your routine will help you maintain an ideal body weight, and prevent obesity. A healthy diet is important to weight loss, but exercising can make losing some extra pounds even easier. When you combine exercise with a healthy diet, you can burn more calories than you are consuming, and burn off some excess weight. Use aerobic exercise and resistance or weight training in tandem to maximize loss of fatty weight, and maximize muscle mass and definition. Be sure to remember that muscle weighs more than fat, so don’t trust the bathroom scale. With regular workouts, you will decrease your fat, and increase your muscle.
4. Increase Brain Function
Exercise stimulates the body and causes it to release proteins and chemicals that improve the structure of your brain. Your heart rate rises when you exercise, and that leads to a better flow of oxygen to your blood and your brain. The extra flow can cause better production of brain cells. This reduces the risk of brain diseases and promotes better brain functions including thinking, learning, memory, and judgement skills. This becomes increasingly important as you age so your mind can stay sharp. Your mind is an asset, and treating it well so that it can serve you for years to come is extremely important.
5. Better Skin Health
Your body has a natural antioxidant defense that repairs cell damage from free radicals. Free radicals destroy cell membranes, and make them more vulnerable to decay. This causes an increase in the risk of illness, and makes your skin have the appearance of aging more quickly. With regular exercise, you can increase your body’s production of natural antioxidants, therefore destroying more free radicals, and protecting your cells. Exercise also stimulates extra blood flow throughout your whole body. This extra flow of blood leads to healthier skin that is more vibrant and retains higher elasticity. Increasing your skin health helps to repair damages, abrasions, and delays the appearance of aging.
6. Better Sleep
If you have issues falling asleep at the right time, or constantly find yourself waking throughout the night, it is time to start exercising! Working out will help to improve the quality of your sleep and reduce the impact of insomnia. Resistance training and aerobic exercise are recommended, but even something as simple as adding a vigorous walk to your daily schedule can improve the quality of your sleep. When you are getting better sleep, the added rest will feed back into your system, and make you feel more prepared for your workout the next day!
7. Bone Health
As humans age, the fragility of our bones increases. But exercise has been proven to be a very effective remedy against age-related bone problems. Resistance training with free weights, or even with your own bodyweight forces your muscles to fight against gravity. This strengthens your bones as well as your muscles. If you have any limitations, cycling and swimming are excellent options as well. Keep your bones as healthy as possible, so they can support you for many years to come!
8. Improved Mental Health
The body releases endorphins along with other chemicals that help boost your mood when you exercise, which helps to improve your overall outlook on life. Taking time out of your day to workout helps to break up the monotony and provide distractions too.
Medics USA is here for you if you need help discovering an exercise plan that will work best for you. Otherwise, if you simply need an annual checkup, we’ve got you covered. Get in touch with one of our offices that is conveniently located across Virginia and Washington DC. Our friendly staff will be happy to help you in any way. Call now for your next appointment!