Some real benefits of physical activity for the body

 

Regular physical exercise can increase energy levels, improve night's rest, and even sexual activity.

• Physical activity can be defined as a series of movements produced by the contraction of the skeletal muscles (those that are attached to the skeleton) and that cause energy expenditure. There are several ways to be physically active: working, playing, walking, doing housework, and exercising.

Staying active has multiple positive effects on your health, both physical and mental, it can even make you live longer. According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is the fourth risk factor for mortality in the world (6% of deaths are attributed to it).

In addition, experts estimate that lack of physical activity is the main cause of between 21% and 25% of breast and colon cancers, 27% of diabetes cases, and approximately 30% of ischemic heart disease.

These are the 10 proven benefits of physical activity for your body:

1. You will feel happier

Exercise has been shown to improve mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress by increasing the brain's sensitivity to the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine that ease feelings of depression. On the other hand, it is capable of promoting the production of endorphins that help generate positive feelings and reduce the perception of pain. Another advantage is that this effect occurs regardless of the intensity of the training.

2. It can help you lose weight

When you are dieting, you eat fewer calories and that lowers the metabolic rate (the body uses less energy) which delays weight loss. Regular exercise increases this rate, so more calories are burned. Additionally, combining aerobic (lower intensity) exercise with resistance training has been shown to maximize fat loss and maintain muscle mass, which is essential to keep weight off.

3. It is good for muscles and bones

Physical exercise plays a vital role in building and maintaining strong bones and muscles. This is because it helps release hormones that promote the ability of muscles to absorb amino acids and that, in turn, helps them grow and reduces their destruction. As people age, they tend to lose muscle mass, which can lead to injury and disability.

On the other hand, physical activity helps build bone density and prevents the onset of osteoporosis with age. Sports that involve impact promote higher bone density than non-impact sports such as swimming and cycling.

4. Increases energy levels

Its positive effect on energy levels occurs in both healthy and sick people. One study found that six weeks of regular exercise reduced feelings of fatigue in 36 healthy people with persistent fatigue. In fact, it can significantly increase energy levels in people suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and other serious illnesses. Exercise has also been shown to increase energy levels in people with progressive diseases such as cancer, AIDS, and multiple sclerosis.

5. Reduces the risk of chronic diseases

Continued lack of activity is a primary cause of chronic diseases as regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular capacity, and body composition, but lowers blood pressure and blood lipid levels. Thus, inactivity, even in the short term, can cause significant increases in abdominal fat, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and death.

6. Help your skin

Although vigorous physical activity can contribute to oxidative damage, regular moderate exercise, on the On another hand contributes to increasing the production of your body's natural antioxidants that help protect skin cells. Additionally, by stimulating blood flow and inducing skin cell adaptations, it can help delay the onset of signs of aging.

7. Contributes to brain health and memory

Another of its benefits is the improvement of brain function and the protection of memory and thinking skills. By increasing the heart rate, it promotes the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. Likewise, it stimulates the production of hormones that can favor the growth of brain cells and by preventing the appearance of chronic diseases, it prevents the damage that these can have on the brain.

On the opposite hand, with exercise, and at any age, the hippocampus (vital for memory and learning) increases in size, which expands mental function in older adults. Lastly, it's been shown to scale back changes within the brain which will cause Alzheimer's and schizophrenia.

8. Relax and improve the quality of sleep

It can help you relax and sleep better because the energy depletion that occurs during exercise stimulates recovery processes during sleep. The increase in body temperature that occurs during physical activity is believed to improve the quality of sleep by helping to lower it when we sleep. One study found that 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous activity can improve sleep quality by up to 65%.

9. It can reduce pain

For many years, the advice for treating chronic pain was rest and inactivity. However, recent studies show that exercise helps to alleviate chronic pain, increases tolerance thereto pain, and reduces the perception that one has of it.

10. Enjoy a better sex life 

Exercise has been shown to stimulate sexual desire and strengthen the cardiovascular system, improve blood circulation, tone muscles, and improve flexibility; all together can improve sexual performance, pleasure, and frequency of sexual activity. A study of a group of 40-year-old women found that they experienced orgasms more frequently with more intense exercise, while another group of 178 healthy men noted that men who exercised more hours per week had function scores higher sexuality.