6 Top Benefits of Regular Exercise

Have you ever felt like you don’t have enough time in the day to exercise? You are not alone. Many people feel this way. However, there is good news; all you need is at least thirty minutes per day to get started. And once you start, you will realize that you can dedicate more time for your daily exercise activity.

A regular exercise routine has been proven to have tremendous health benefits, both physically and mentally, and can increase overall live expectancy.

Let us explore the following six top benefits of regular exercise.

1. It Can Promote A Healthy State Of Mind

Regular exercise can positively impact the way you think, boost your mood and contribute to a happier and fulfilled life. During exercise, your body releases endorphins. Endorphins are natural chemical that are produced by the nervous system and act as a pathway that helps you cope with pain and stress. Endorphins are credited for giving us the “feel-good” effect during physical activity. This “feel-good” sensation contributes to the feeling of happiness and the perception of reduced pain.

In essence, exercise helps put your mind at ease. It gives you a positive outlook on life. It is effective in boosting your overall happiness and cultivates a positive mindset, which helps you relax and reduce stress and anxiety.

2. It Can Strengthen Muscles, Bones, And Joints

Research has shown that exercise is effective in strengthening muscles, bones and joints. Physical activity can increase muscle mass, develop strength, improve balance and coordination. Exercise can also build and maintain bone strength and help with bone loss reduction.

In addition to improving muscle mass and bone strength, exercise can also contribute to joint flexibility and mobility, as well as the reduction of joint pain.

Strength training and resistance exercises are important in the development and maintenance of strong muscles, bones, and joints. Furthermore, stretching can contribute greatly to the flexibility and mobility of your muscles, bones and joints.

3. It Can Increase Energy

If you are feeling sluggish or sleepy, consider a quick workout to get a boost of energy. When you are working out, your heart rate increases, and your blood begin to flow, which causes your body to release endorphins. Research has shown that the release of endorphins can increase your overall energy and help boost your positive mood.

4. It Can Improve Sleep

Exercise can improve your quality of sleep, allowing you to sleep deeper, which contributes to a more restful night. Deep sleep is the restorative stage of sleep that causes you to wake up in the morning feeling refreshed. Deep sleep is known to boost the immune system, improve cardiac health and reduce stress and anxiety.

In addition to improving your quality of sleep, physical activity can also improve the quantity of sleep you receive each night. Exercise makes you tired and burn energy and this contributes to you feeling tired at the end of the day and ready for a restful night. To fully recover from the prior day’s activity,  it is recommended that you acquire seven to nine hours of sleep per night.

When exercise activities are performed early in the morning or late in the afternoon, it increases your body temperature. When your body temperature returns to homeostasis a few hours later, the tendency to sleep will increase. Adequate sleep can improve your overall energy, alertness and lead to a more productive day.

5. It Can Promote Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance

Regular exercise can be effective in promoting weight loss and weight maintenance, especially when it is coupled with a healthy diet. During exercise, your body burns extra calories. The amount of calorie burn during physical activity will depend on the intensity and duration of your exercise activity.

According to the Center of Disease Control, “to maintain your weight, you should work your way up to one hundred and fifty minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, seventy-five minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week.”

However, although research has shown that regular physical activity can promote weight loss and weight maintenance, the precise amount of physical activity to recommend is indecisive, as this differs from person to person.

Research has also shown that regular physical activity can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

6. It Can Reduce Pain

Research has shown that exercise can help you recover from chronic pain caused by injury related issues. Chronic pain is characterized as pain that persist longer than the normal expected healing period. Consistent stretching, strength, and aerobic training can be effective in reducing chronic pain.

It is also proven that aerobic exercise is effective in the reduction of joint pain. Aerobic exercise is any physical activity that cause you to sweat, increase your heart rate and your breathing. Some examples of aerobic exercise include: running, walking, biking and swimming.

The Conclusion

Regular exercise is beneficial in improving your overall health and life expectancy.
Exercise can positively impact your thinking, enhance your positive mood and contribute to a happier and fulfilled life. Regular physical activity releases the production of hormones that increase your overall energy and help boost your positive mood. Exercise can increase muscles, bones and joints strength and reduce bone loss and improve joint mobility and flexibilty.  Physical activity causes the release of endorphins that can increase your overall energy and help boost your positive mood. Exercise activity can increase both your quality and quantity of sleep contributing to a more restful night, and allows you to wake up feeling refreshed. Regular exercise can promote weight loss and weight maintenance, especially when it is coupled with a healthy diet. Exercise activity can reduce both chronic and joint pain.

Good luck on your exercise journey to a fitter, healthier you.

Thank you for reading. We are here to inspire and provide you with the tools to look and feel your best.

The VCB FIT blog team

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