Benefits of exercise: 7 reasons to work out

You might be exercising for weight loss, or gaining mass, but do you know the other benefits of exercise?

Here are 7 other reasons to workout.

1. Exercise keeps your body fit but it’s doing the same for your brain

As we age it seems inevitable that we start to get a bit fuzzy headed. My Gran attributes her mental clarity at the age of 85 to crosswords and keeping her brain active through brain stimulating activities. However as it turns out physical activity is even more important in keeping your brain active and healthy into later life. It’s thought that increased blood flow through the body, and to the brain, helps to keep us mentally fitter. Not to mention that people who are physically active tend to be healthier in the first place. Therefore if you want to live longer and enjoy your life, get moving.

2. Exercise improves your memory

No need to wait until your later years to reap the benefits of exercise on brain health. Scientists in Ireland recently found that exercise can help improve brain function after exercise.

In this study, two groups of participants were quickly shown photographs of faces and the names of strangers. They were then asked to recall this information. One of the groups then exercised at an intense rate for as long as they could, while the other group sat quietly for 30 minutes. When re-tested it was found that the exercise group could accurately recall more names than the group who sat quietly.

It was found that the exercise had caused increased levels of the protein BDNF a.k.a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, in their blood. The BDNF protein helps to keep the brain healthy by helping with the survival, growth and maintenance of brain cells. BDNF is found in regions of the brain that control eating, drinking, and body weight; the protein likely contributes to the management of these functions.

3. Exercise improves your mood

Need a pick me up? Ignore the comfort food and get some exercise. Endorphins are neurotransmitters released during exercise which lead to feelings of happiness and euphoria, you don’t need to be exercising for hours or at a high intensity to see the benefits either. The positive feelings from exercise can be felt within the first five minutes of activity.

When endorphins are low people can start to feel anxious or depressed. In this study exercise was used, along with traditional methods, to help treat patients suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It was found that the group of people receiving the exercise reported better mood, weight loss, increased activity and better sleep in comparison to those who did not. Exercise is not only important in the treatment of depression but also important in preventing relapse. 

4. Exercise can reduce anxiety and stress

During stressful situations people who suffer from anxiety experience feelings of breathlessness, sweating and increased heart rate – all symptoms experienced during exercise. By using exercise as a treatment and helping people to associate these symptoms with safety rather than danger the feelings of anxiety were reduced. As feelings of anxiety are lowered so to are the feelings of stress.

5. Exercise can boost your confidence

Lack of self confidence can be a repeating cycle when it comes to exercise. If you are not confident you may be less likely to try and exercise and when you do it might not be as enjoyable. In this study on adolescents it was found that increased exercise lead to improved self confidence which lead to better performance in school. As confidence in yourself is increased, confidence in the activity is also increased. Positivity breeds positivity.

6. Exercise can help with sleep

Sleep is an important aspect of health. If we want to perform well in life and in the gym, adequate rest is essential. It has been found that people fall asleep quicker and have a more restful sleep after exercising, even when suffering from chronic insomnia. There are many theories as to why exercise will help, including reduced anxiety and depression along with an improvement in mood. Also the cooling down of body temperature after exercise may induce a sleepier state.

7. Exercise reduces your risk of cancer

Inactivity has been associated with an increased in risk of developing cancer, and physical activity has been linked to a decrease in risk. It was found that women exercising regularly were 12% less likely to be diagnosed with cancer, and the more they exercised the less likely they were to be diagnosed. Each 2 hours per week caused a further reduction of 5%. Research is also going on to establish the decrease in risks of other types of cancers.

There you have it, some very good reasons to exercise that don’t just focus on measuring tapes and scales. Aim to be healthy from the inside out.

Ainzlie

p.s – if you’re new to exercise and you’re not sure where to begin, I can help you there.