How often do you move your body? Often we don’t realize it, but we are stimulating our muscles and bones throughout the day. Whether walking up and down stairs, taking the dog for a walk, or walking and cycling to work. On the other hand, the amount of exercise we do is not always enough to make our body healthy.
While there are people who are quite active, there are others who become sedentary even without meaning to. Sometimes the schedule is very tight and the person spends most of the time stopped in the car in traffic or sitting at the computer at work and, when he gets home, he just wants to lie in bed and watch TV. She may not mean to, but it ends up harming her own health.
Did you know that the WHO recommends a routine of 300 minutes of physical activity (or 150 minutes intense) per week? It’s okay if you don’t have time to go to the gym or you don’t like that kind of activity. You can distribute this time however you like. What you can’t do is stand still.
Check out below the benefits of physical exercise for your daily life.
1. Regulates the weight
Anyone who is overweight or is not happy with their body should bet on physical activity. It is the best alternative to lose weight in a healthy way, as the practice promotes calorie burning and fat loss. This is especially important to avoid being overweight, which can lead to cardiovascular problems, diabetes, osteoarthritis , among others.
However, it is necessary to remember that the effects depend on each person, the modality, frequency and intensity of the exercise. That is, you should not compare yourself to other people, nor go beyond the limits of your own body. Another fact is that without good nutrition, the results are not so satisfactory.
2. Stimulates healthy eating
The relationship between physical exercise and food is very close. If we don’t eat well before a workout, we can even feel sick. And that doesn’t happen by accident. Food is responsible for ensuring the nutrients our body needs to function well, as well as being a source of calories and energy.
When we exercise, we burn off calories from food and use energy as fuel. Exercise also stimulates the absorption of nutrients by the body, making the body healthier. Therefore, eating well is part of having a good physical condition.
Having an inadequate diet can cause fatigue and even injuries due to lack of nutrients. Water is also key to keeping the body hydrated, as we lose a lot of fluid when we sweat.
3. Improves sleep quality
Do you have insomnia problems? Sometimes the best medicine can simply be physical activity. This is because sleep has the mission of restoring energy and when we don’t exercise, we don’t spend enough energy.
Those who practice physical exercise tend to sleep faster, rest better and have a deeper sleep. As a consequence, it is natural for the person to wake up in a better mood to start the day. And of course this also impacts mental health, as we’ll talk about next.
4. Contributes to mental health
Physical activity is very good for our brain. The more we practice, the more we produce endorphins, a hormone that promotes well-being and the feeling of pleasure. As a result, we feel more cheerful and relaxed. This is important to combat stress, depression and anxiety.
The feeling of having accomplished and overcoming goals also contributes to self- esteem . As we gain fitness and advance through the levels of the sport, we feel that we are better able to tackle obstacles. Exercise also gives you more energy and willingness to work and perform everyday tasks.
If we stop to think about our childhood, we will realize how important the practice of sports was for sociability and can continue to be. When we practice physical activity in a group, we become part of a community.
Because they have this interest in common, many people create bonds of friendship and start to encourage each other. Over time, those people become an important part of your social life. Many fight depression and loneliness in this way.
6. Increases the quality of life
Dancing, walking, swimming, lifting weights and even climbing stairs contribute a lot to your health. When we do a mix of physical activities and do it often, we gain in quality of life .
Exercise stimulates the functioning of the body, promoting muscle and bone mass gain, blood pumping, breath improvement, sugar level regulation, fat reduction, among many other benefits. That’s why exercisers not only have better physical conditioning, they also have a stronger immune system and are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
7. Promotes healthy aging
The practice of physical exercises is also directly related to life expectancy. Therefore, even elderly people need to exercise to ensure more quality of life and independence.
At this age, preventing cardiorespiratory problems and diabetes is not the only focus. It takes strong, healthy muscles and bones to slow down the loss of bone mass, which leads to Osteoporosis – a disease of weak bones that causes self-limitation. The ideal is to combine Hyperbolic Stretching Reviews with aerobic and strength exercises.