It’s no secret that exercise is good for you. In fact, there are countless benefits to staying active and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, stay healthy, or simply feel better overall, regular exercise is a key component. Here we will discuss the top 9 benefits of regular exercise and provide tips on how to get started!
#1 – Exercise Can Make You Feel Happier
If you’re feeling down, a little bit of exercise can go a long way. Even if you don’t feel like working out, once you get started you’ll often find that your mood improves.
Exercise releases endorphins, which have mood-boosting effects. Additionally, exercise can help reduce stress and anxiety.
Interestingly, it doesn’t matter how intense your workout is. It seems that exercise can benefit your mood no matter the intensity of the physical activity.
#2 – Exercise Can Help with Weight Loss
If you’re trying to lose weight, exercise can help. Of course, the amount of weight you’ll lose depends on how often you exercise, what type of exercises you do, and how many calories you consume.
In general, though, regular physical activity is an important part of any weight-loss plan. And, as with everything else in life, the more you do, the greater the benefits.
So if your goal is to lose weight, aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week. That’s 30 minutes a day, five days a week. If you can’t commit to that much time at first, even small amounts of physical activity are helpful.
The important thing is to just get started. And, as you start to see results, you’ll be motivated to keep going.
#3 – Exercise is Good for Your Muscles and Bones
Regular exercise can also help strengthen your bones and muscles. Strong muscles help support and protect your joints from injury. They also play a role in maintaining bone strength.
And, as we age, regular exercise can help slow the loss of muscle mass and bone density which can lead to osteoporosis. Weight-bearing activities like walking, running, and lifting weights are especially helpful in maintaining bone strength.
So, not only can regular exercise help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic disease, but it can also help keep your bones and muscles strong. That’s pretty impressive for something that’s free and easy to do!
#4 – Exercise Can Increase Your Energy Levels
If you find yourself feeling tired all the time, exercise can help. Regardless of how active you are, adding some moderate aerobic activity to your routine is likely to increase your energy levels.
How does this work? Well, when you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins interact with the receptors in your brain that reduce your perception of pain.
They also trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to that of morphine. So not only will you feel less pain, but you’ll also feel happier and more relaxed.
#5 – Exercise Can Reduce Your Risk of Chronic Disease
Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week can help to prevent chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and breast and colon cancer.
Of course, the more you exercise, the greater the benefits. But even small amounts of physical activity can make a difference in your health.
In contrast, a lack of regular exercise — even in the short term — can lead to significant increases in belly fat, which may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
#6 – Exercise Can Help Skin Health
In addition to the many other health benefits of exercise, working out can also improve your skin health. Exercise increases blood flow and encourages the release of toxins that can clog pores and lead to breakouts.
It also helps to regulate hormones that can cause acne flare-ups. And, when you sweat during a workout, you’re cleansing your skin from the inside out.
Even though intense and exhaustive physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise can actually increase your body’s production of natural antioxidants, which help protect cells.
#7 – Exercise Can Help Your Brain Health and Memory
In addition to the benefits we’ve already discussed, exercise also helps keep your brain healthy and can improve your memory.
Aerobic exercise increases the level of a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) in your body, which is important for the health of neurons and cognitive function.
Research has also shown that people who exercise regularly have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
So, not only can exercise help improve your memory now, but it may also protect your brain from cognitive decline in the future.
#8 – Exercise Can Help with Relaxation and Sleep Quality
In addition to all of the other benefits of exercise, it can also help you relax and sleep better.
If you have trouble sleeping, exercise may be able to help. Research shows that people who exercise regularly sleep better and feel less tired during the day than people who don’t exercise.
Exercise can also help you fall asleep more easily and improve the quality of your sleep. So if you’re looking for ways to get better sleep, exercise may be a good option.
Of course, it’s important to find an exercise that you enjoy and that fits into your schedule. But once you find an activity that works for you, you’ll start to see all of the benefits of regular exercise.
#9 – Exercise Can Promote a Better Sex Life
Exercise has been proven to boost sex drive. Engaging in regular exercise can strengthen the heart, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and enhance flexibility, all of which can improve your sex life.
Interestingly enough, one study showed that regular exercise was associated with increased sexual function and desire in 405 postmenopausal women.
A review of 10 studies also found that exercising for at least 160 minutes per week over a 6-month period could help significantly improve erectile function in men.
Conclusion
It is evident that there are many benefits to regular exercise. The key is finding a way to make it work for you and sticking with it over the long haul. We hope these tips will help get you started on your fitness journey and keep you healthy, happy, and looking good! Do you have any other favorite tips for staying fit? Let us know in the comments below.
