The Benefits of Having a Body in Motion

One of the single most important things you can do for your health is regular physical activity. No matter your age or gender, race or ethnicity, exercise provides immediate and long-term benefits.

Physical activity improves your brain health, weight management, reduces disease, strengthens bones and muscles and improves your ability to do everyday activities.

Many physical activities boost endorphins, which are naturally produced chemicals that help you cope with pain or stress, and produce what’s known as “runner’s high,” a feeling of euphoria that happens after lengthy, vigorous physical activity.

Brain Health:

Benefits of physical activity on brain health happen right after a session of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Benefits include improved thinking and reduced short-term feelings of anxiety.

Regular physical activity can help keep your thinking, learning and judgement skills sharp as you age.

It can also reduce your risk of depression and anxiety and help you sleep better.

Weight Management:

Diet and exercise play a huge role in maintaining a healthy body weight, losing excess weight or maintaining successful weight loss.

You gain weight when you consume more calories than you burn, including those burned during physical activity. Balance is the key.

To maintain your weight – The World Health Organization recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week. For example – 30 minutes a day 5 days a week. Or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity. The good news is you can meet those numbers at home with limited space and no special equipment. Be sure to consult with your physician before beginning any new exercise program.

Reduces Health Risks:

Cardiovascular Disease - Heart disease and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Exercise can lower your blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels

Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome - Metabolic syndrome is some combination of too much fat around the waist, high blood pressure, low High-Density Lipoproteins cholesterol, high triglycerides or high blood sugar. People start to see benefits at levels of physical activity below the recommended levels. So additional physical activity may lower your risk more!

Some Cancers – physical activity lowers the risk for developing several commonly occurring cancers. Research shows that adults who participate in greater amounts of exercise have reduced risks of developing many cancers including; Bladder, Breast, Colon, Endometrium, Esophagus, Kidney, Lung and Stomach.

Strengthen Bones and Muscles:

Keeping bones, joints and muscles healthy is important for mobility and health as we age. Doing aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening physical activity at a moderately-intense level can slow the loss of bone density that comes with age.

Physical activity helps reduce the risk of falling and injuries from falls and lowers the risk of hip fractures.

Regular physical activity helps with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions affecting the joints.

Muscle-strengthening activities like lifting weights can help increase or maintain muscle mass and strength.

Benefits of physical activity increase your chances of living a longer, healthier life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity. People who are physically active for about 150 minutes a week have a 33% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who are physically inactive. It’s important to note that you don’t have to do a lot of physical activity, you’ll start to see benefits with any amount of moderate or vigorous physical activity.

There’s no downside to being physically active and there are many ways to add it into your life. Choose an activity that matches your abilities and stick with it. If you have a chronic health condition, be sure to talk with your doctor about the types and amounts of physical activity that are right for you.