It is no secret that leading an active lifestyle is great for your overall health. However, you may be interested in the specific mental and physical benefits you receive when you are remaining active. Since physical activity engages your entire mind and body, there are several positive benefits you will notice when you lead an active lifestyle.
Mental Health Benefits
Once you begin any physical activity, your mind is also getting a great workout so to say. There are several ways your mind will benefit from staying active. Some of the mental health benefits include:
1. Reducing Stress
Working out is a great way to relieve stress from a tough day at work or a challenge you are facing in your life. Building up a sweat releases a chemical in your body called norepinephrine, which is your body’s natural way of fighting and moderating stress.
2. Improving Self-Confidence
Getting in shape is an easy way to boost your self-confidence. Whether it is to stay fit or shed a few pounds, you will feel great after every exercise session.
3. Sharpening Your Memory
Maintaining a regular fitness regime will improve your memory as well as your ability to learn new things. Working up a sweat will enable your body to produce more cells in the hippocampus – the area of the brain where memory and learning takes place.
4. Increasing Relaxation
Even after a long day, allowing yourself to have a moderate workout will help you stay calm and feel more relaxed. Working out will also release endorphins, which will help you curb any anxiety you could be facing. Either way, when you need to feel more relaxed, go for a short jog or walk.
5. Preventing Cognitive Decline
As you age, your brain will begin to decline in its functions and abilities. Although regular exercise is not a cure for this or mental health issues such as Alzheimer’s, those who practice regular exercise between the ages of 25-45 will boost the chemical production in the brain. Having this regular boost in your youth will help your brain maintain its function and abilities longer.
Physical Health Benefits
Getting your body moving will enable you to gain several physical health benefits. Leading an active lifestyle will not only keep you in shape, it will keep your body healthy. A few ways you will see physical benefits from an active lifestyle are:
1. Controlling Your Weight
Several people begin to exercise to shed a few pounds. When you are actively maintaining a regular fitness regime, you will be able to control your weight in a healthy way. Burning calories and working up a good sweat will help you lose any extra weight you may have and keep it off.
2. Combating Disease
Exercise will raise your heartbeat regularly, which is an important part to combating heart disease as well as heart attacks. In addition, you will see lowered blood pressure and a boost in your good cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, as well as a decrease in the unhealthy triglycerides. The combination of the three of these will keep your blood flow healthy and clear. Furthermore, regular exercise will help prevent or significantly lower your risk of:
• Stroke
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Falls
• Depression
• Certain Cancers
3. Boosting Your Energy
Although you might feel tired after a long, hard work out, you will begin to notice an overall boost in your day-to-day energy. As you become more fit, you will find you have more energy to get yourself through your day. In addition, you will be able to deliver more oxygen to your cells and your cardiovascular system allowing them to function at higher levels and for longer periods of time.
4. Sleeping Better
If you are looking for a great night’s sleep, wearing yourself out through a long period of physical engagement will be the perfect way to do so. Whether you are struggling with insomnia or even just staying asleep, feeling physically tired will help you fall asleep faster. Also, your sleep will be deeper and you will stay asleep longer. Just be sure to exercise far from your regular bedtime or you might find that you are too energized to fall asleep.
All in all, regular exercise can offer several mental and physical health benefits. Take advantage of your health and your lifestyle by getting active today, the overall health benefits will be seen in no time.
- Olympia Powell
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