Have you ever wondered what adding exercise to your week can do for you? We thought these facts were important to share! Regular exercise and physical activity may help:
- Control your weight. Along with diet, exercise plays an important role in controlling weight and preventing obesity. To maintain your weight, the calories you consume must be equal to the energy you use. To lose weight, you must use more calories than you consume. Regular exercise is crucial for supporting a fast metabolism and burning more calories per day.
- Reduce your risk of heart diseases. Exercise strengthens the heart and improves circulation. The increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels in the body. This helps lower the risk of heart diseases such as high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and heart attack. Regular exercise can also lower blood pressure and triglyceride levels.
- Manage blood sugar and insulin levels. Exercise can lower blood sugar levels and help your insulin work more efficiently. This can cut down the risk for metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Additionally, if you already have one of those diseases, exercise can help you manage it.
- Improve your mental health and mood. During exercise, the body releases chemicals that can improve mood and make patients feel more relaxed. This can help you deal with stress and reduce risk of depression.
- Quit smoking. Exercise may make it easier to quit smoking by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It can also help limit weight gain when quitting smoking.
- Keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. Exercise stimulates the body to release proteins and other chemicals that improve the structure and function of the brain.
- Strengthen your bones and muscles. Regular exercise can help kids and teens build strong bones. Later in life, it can also slow the loss of bone density that comes with age. Doing muscle-strengthening activities can help you increase or maintain your muscle mass and strength.
- Reduce risk of some cancers, including colon, breast, uterine, and lung cancer.
- Reduce the risk of falls. For older adults, research shows that doing balance and muscle-strengthening activities in addition to moderate-intensity aerobic activity can help reduce the risk of falling.
- Improve your sleep. Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.