Physical activity or exercise not only makes our muscles work but also can reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. With health and physical benefits, exercise gives us mental benefits.

There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, jogging, walking and dancing. It can have immediate and long-term health benefits.

Exercise or physical activity is defined as any movement that makes muscles work and requires the body to burn calories.

Here are the 10 best ways to exercise regularly that are the benefits of your body and mind.

1. It can make you feel happier

Regular exercise or physical activity has been shown to positively affect mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.

It produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It can also increase the brain sensitivity of the hormone’s serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression.

Exercise also can increase the production of endorphins which help produce positive feelings and reduce pain perception.

Also, exercise reduces symptoms in people suffering from anxiety. It can also help them to be more aware of their mental state and have practice in distracting their fears.

Interestingly, it doesn’t matter how intense your training is. It seems that mood can benefit from exercise regardless of the intensity of physical activity.

In fact, a study in 24 women who had been diagnosed with depression showed that exercise decreased feelings of depression.

The effects of exercise on mood are so powerful that just choosing to exercise (or not) makes a difference in a short period of time.

For the purpose of an investigation, 26 healthy men and women were asked to exercise regularly to continue exercising or stop doing so for two weeks. Those who stopped exercising experienced increases in negative mood.

Summary: Regular exercise or physical activity can improve mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.

2. Can help with weight loss

According to studies, inactive lifestyle is an important factor in weight gain and obesity.

To understand the effect of exercise or regular physical activity on weight reduction, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure.

When dieting, a reduced calorie intake will decrease the metabolic rate, which will decrease weight loss. On the opposing, regular exercise or physical activity increases the metabolic rate. So, more calories will be burned and this will help you lose weight.

In addition, studies have shown that the combination of aerobic exercise with resistance training can maximize fat loss. Maintenance of muscle mass is essential to prevent weight gain.

Summary: Exercise or regular physical activity is crucial to support obtaining a fast metabolism and burning more calories per day. It also helps maintain muscle mass and promotes weight loss.

3. It is good for your muscles and bones

Physical activity or regular exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong muscles and bones.

Physical activity such as weightlifting can stimulate muscle building when combined with adequate protein intake.

This is because exercise helps release hormones that promote the ability of muscles to absorb amino acids. This helps them grow and reduces their decomposition.

As people get older, they tend to lose muscle mass and performance, which can lead to injuries and disabilities. Regular physical activity is essential to reduce muscle loss and maintain strength as you get older.

In addition, exercise helps build bone density when you are younger as well as helping prevent osteoporosis.

It is interesting to note that high-impact exercise such as gymnastics or running, or odd-impact sports like football and basketball has been shown to promote greater bone density than impact-free sports such as swimming and cycling.

Summary: Physical activity helps build strong muscles and bones. It can also help prevent osteoporosis.

4. It can increase your energy levels

   Exercise can be a real energy booster for healthy people, as well as for those who suffer from various medical conditions.

   One study found that six weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue for 36 healthy people who had reported persistent fatigue.

   In addition, exercise can significantly increase energy levels for people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other serious illnesses.

   In fact, exercise seems to be more effective in the fight against CFS than other treatments including passive therapies such as relaxation and stretching or no other treatment.

   It has also been shown that exercise increases energy levels in people suffering from progressive diseases, such as cancer, HIV-AIDS, and multiple sclerosis.

   Summary: Having regular physical activity can increase energy levels. This is true even in people with obstinate fatigue and those suffering from serious illnesses.

5. It can reduce your risk of chronic diseases

   Lack of regular physical activity or exercise is a primary cause of chronic diseases.

   It has been shown that regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular fitness, and body composition. But lowers blood pressure and blood fat levels. In contrast, lack of regular exercise, even in the short term, can lead to significant increases in belly fat. That increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and early death.

   Therefore, daily physical activity or regular exercise is recommended to reduce belly fat and decrease the risk of developing these diseases.

   Summary: Daily physical activity is essential to maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

   6. It can help skin health

   The amount of oxidative stress can be reflected or affect the skin.

   Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses fail to completely repair the damage that free radicals cause to cells. This can damage internal structures and deteriorate the skin.

   Although intense and exhaustive physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage. Regular moderate exercise can increase the body’s production of natural antioxidants which help protect cells.

   In the same way, exercise can stimulate blood flow and induce adaptations of skin cells that can help delay skin aging.

   Summary: Moderate exercise can provide antioxidant defense and promote blood flow, which can protect your skin and delay the signs of aging.

7. Swimming for Health

   It can help your health and brain memory

   Exercise or regular physical activity can improve brain function and protect memory and thinking skills.

   For starters, it increases the heart rate, consequently, it promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain.

   It can also stimulate the production of hormones that can improve the growth of brain cells.

   In addition, the ability of exercise to prevent chronic diseases can translate into benefits for the brain, since its function can be affected by these diseases.

   Regular physical activity is especially important in older adults. Since old, combined with oxidative stress and inflammation, promotes changes in the structure and function of the brain.

   It has been shown that exercising increases the size of the hippocampus, a part of the brain that is vital for memory and learning. This serves to increase mental function in older adults.

   Finally, exercise has been shown to reduce changes in the brain that can cause Alzheimer’s disease and Schizophrenia.

   Summary: Regular exercise improves blood flow to the brain and helps brain health and memory. Among older adults, it can help protect mental function.

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8. Physical Exercise

   It can help with relaxation and sleep quality.

   As for the quality of sleep, the energy depletion that occurs during exercise stimulates recovery processes during sleep.

   In addition, it is believed that the increase in body temperature that occurs during exercise improves sleep quality by helping to decrease during sleep.

   Many studies on the effects of exercise on sleep have reached similar conclusions.

   One study found that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week can provide up to 65% improvement in sleep quality.

   Another showed that 16 weeks of physical activity or regular exercise increased sleep quality and helped 17 people with insomnia sleep more deeply than the control group. It also helped them feel more energized during the day.

   Likewise, participation in regular exercise seems to be beneficial for the elderly, who tend to be affected by sleep disorders.

   You can be flexible with the type of exercise you choose. It seems that both aerobic exercises and physical exercise combined with resistance training can also help sleep quality.

   Summary: Regular physical activity, regardless of whether it is aerobic or a combination of aerobic and resistance training can help you sleep better and feel more energized during the day.

   9. Can reduce pain

   Chronic pain can be debilitating, but exercise can help reduce it.

   In fact, for many years, the recommendation for the treatment of chronic pain was rest and inactivity. However, recent studies show that exercise helps relieve chronic pain.

   A review of several studies indicates that exercise helps participants with chronic pain reduce their pain and improve their quality of life.

   Several studies show that exercise can help control pain associated with various health conditions, such as chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia and chronic soft tissue shoulder disorder, etc.

   In addition, physical activity can also increase pain tolerance and decrease pain perception.

   Summary: Exercise has favorable effects on pain that is associated with various conditions. It can also increase pain tolerance.

   10. Can promote a better sex life

   Exercising regularly can strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve blood circulation, tone muscles and improve flexibility, all of which can improve sex life.

   Physical activity or regular exercise can improve sexual performance and sexual pleasure, as well as increase the frequency of sexual activity.

   A group of 40-year-old women observes that they experienced orgasms more frequently when they incorporated more intense exercises such as sprint, training camps, and weight training.

   In addition, a group of 178 healthy men, who reported more hours of exercise per week had higher results of sexual function.

   One study found that a simple routine of a six-minute walk around the house helped 41 men reduce their symptoms of erectile dysfunction by 71%.

   Another study conducted on 78 inactive men revealed how 60 minutes of walking per day (Three and a half days per week, on average) improved their sexual behavior, including adequate frequency, functioning and satisfaction.

   Moreover, one study showed that women who suffer from polycystic ovarian syndrome, which can reduce sexual desire, increased their sexual desire with regular resistance training for 16 weeks.

   Summary: Exercise can help improve sexual desire, function and performance in men and women. It can also help decrease the risk of erectile dysfunction in men.

   In conclusion

   Exercise offers incredible benefits that can improve almost every aspect of health from the inside out.

   Regular physical activity can increase the production of hormones that make you feel happier and help you sleep better.

   It can also improve the appearance of the skin, help lose weight and maintain it. Decrease the risk of chronic diseases and improve sex life.

   If you practice a specific sport or follow the 150-minute activity schedule per week. It will inevitably improve your health in many ways.

   Source: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-exercise

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