Everybody knows by now that exercise is good for you. We have all been told that we should exercise regularly, that it is good for our heart, it helps to prevent a range of illnesses and that it’s generally good for our wellbeing. However, for many people, this information is vague and it’s not motivating enough to get them off the couch and into the gym. To really want to break a sweat, most people need a little more motivation and some real specifics to change their sedentary ways and get out there to start exercising regularly.
The truth is that there are countless reasons to exercise, some of which you know about and some that you might not have heard before. Working out regularly, using gym equipment at home, lifting weights at your local gym, doing yoga, going cycling, running, playing tennis and anything else that elevates your heart rate and gets you sweating is good for you in a range of different ways. We are learning more and more about the positive impacts of regular exercise all of the time and it has been discovered that exercise is essentially a form of medicine for the human mind and body that we should all be taking regularly if we want to live a long and healthy life.
Let’s take a look at some of the mental and physical benefits of exercise that you may not have heard about before.
It’s Good For Your Brain
Regular exercise has been linked to a range of different brain benefits in recent years such as being able to learn faster, improving memory and it has also been linked to reducing depression. Some studies have even suggested that working out regularly can delay the onset or maybe even completely prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists are actively trying to figure out what the link is between exercise and these benefits with the initial thought being that it improves blood flow to the brain, allowing new blood vessels and maybe new brain cells to develop.
Increases Happiness Levels
Whether you choose to walk, cycle, run, use the elliptical trainer or do any other form of exercise, chemicals in your brain such as serotonin, norepinephrine, endorphins and dopamine are released. The release of these chemicals has been closely tied to reductions in depression, lowering of stress, less pain, and a boost in mood. These improvements should not be overlooked and can help to make all of our lives a little better by simply moving more often.
Slows Down Aging
Did you know that exercising regularly has been proven to increase your lifespan by up to five years? Scientists have discovered that moderate to intense exercise, when done regularly, can slow down the ageing process that cells go through. As we get older, our cells divide, again and again, causing us to age. Regular exercise, however, increases the levels of a particular molecule in the body that can prevent this from happening which in turn can slow down the aging process over time.
Improves Your Skin
Taking part in aerobic exercise regularly increases the amount of blood that flows to your skin. This blood contains important nutrients and oxygen which help wounds to heal quicker and also improve the overall health of your skin. This is exactly why when you are injured, doctors will tell you to get moving again as quickly as possible. They are encouraging you to move to increase the amount of blood that will flow to the injured area, preventing the muscle from diminishing over time but also maintaining good blood flow to the skin For a healthy, non-injured person, the same logic applies.
Recover Quickly From Illness
If you suffer from a chronic condition such as Type 2 Diabetes or you have a heart issue, you may have been given the same tired advice that you should not exercise. While this was believed by doctors around the world to be true for years, nowadays, experts in the medical field encourage more people that have major illnesses to exercise more. This is because exercising regularly, even if it is something as simple as going for a walk, can increase a patient’s heart rate. In turn, this has been shown to significantly improve whatever chronic disease they might be suffering from, as well as reduce depression, lower levels of anxiety, and stress and boost the patient’s mood at the same time.
Start Reaping The Rewards Of Regular Exercise Today!
To improve your overall mental and physical health, you need to start exercising regularly and the sooner you get started, the better. With so many benefits to be gained from a regular exercise, the questions shouldn’t be “When will I start exercising”, but “How soon?”. Working out regularly will improve your overall standard of living in countless ways, helping you to look and feel better than you ever have before. All you need to do to reap these benefits is get out there and start moving more!
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