Benefits of Exercise
Stress relief
The main benefits of exercise to me is that it reduces stress. I’m reading a lot of studies stating that stress is the cause of 85% of diseases. Feeling better from the inside out can change your entire outlook on life. Exercise helps build a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle.
Exercise can help you release those pent-up frustrations
Let’s say that you had a trying day at work. You missed a deadline you forgot about and your boss chewed you out. You scrambled all day to make up for it and by the end, you couldn’t handle anything. Now, add an exercise class to that. Spending time performing aerobics, kickboxing, boxing, or martial arts can help you release that stress. Stress is mostly pented up energy. Exercise provides you with a healthy way to burn that energy up.
Exercise releases endorphins in the brain.
Whenever you want to improve your attitude, go for a walk, swim, or lift some weights. You are not only working your body and getting healthy but you will notice how much better you feel after.
Exercise clears the mind and sharpens your focus.
The brain utilizes more oxygen than any other part of your body. As you exercise regularly, your lung capacity will increase as you learn to breathe. This puts more oxygen into circulation in your bloodstream. That clarity combined with a change in mood, can help you solve a problem that has been causing you stress. You didn’t see it before because you were foggy with emotion and tenseness but you see it now.
Exercise increases your productivity.
Maybe part of your stress was stemming from being unhealthy. You were always tired and couldn’t meet the demands of your day. Now that you are working out regularly, you have more energy. After a day at work, you can still come home and help with dinner for your family or sit and enjoy time together instead of falling into bed.
Stress increases the amount of cortisol, a stress hormone, released into your body. Cortisol leads to weight gain. Exercise can limit cortisol production and help you lose weight.
Are you shying away from exercise for various reasons? One really important reason (or rather four) to get moving is how much better you will feel and handle stress.
Yoga and Pilates increase flexibility
Yoga and Pilates both increase your flexibility. Even just moving around in your chair gently or touching your toes will help with your flexibility.
Exercise helps with weight loss
Weight loss is usually one of the main benefits of exercise that causes us to finally exercise. We’ve all heard the more “muscles” you have the more calories you will burn. You don’t have to do heavy weight lifting to build muscle. Any kind of resistance on your muscles will help to build them. Even walking will help build your thigh, hip, and leg muscles. The key is to find something you enjoy. Then fit it into your routine so exercise is automatic.
For me seeing the sun out and hearing the birds singing is a call to go for a walk and enjoy the day. What is your call to action?
Overview of the benefits of exercise on the brain
An overview of the benefits of exercise to your brain. Exercise increases the blood flow to the brain. This supplies more oxygen, glucose, and nutrients to the brain, which enhances your overall brain function.
Benefits of exercise on your brain:
- Exercise encourages the growth of new brain cells
- Physical activity enhances cognitive ability at all ages
- Exercise enhances your mood
- Exercise helps alleviate depression
- Exercise calms worries and anxiety
- Exercise helps prevent, delay, and lessen
the effects of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease - Exercise eases symptoms of ADD
- Physical fitness sparks better behavior in adolescents
- People who exercise regularly sleep better
- Exercise helps women cope with hormonal changes