Ajit Karn
Health Benefits of exercise: Step forward! It is the cure for which everyone has been praying.
It can reduce your risk of significant diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer by up to 30%, as well as your risk of dying prematurely.
It is free, simple to consume, has an immediate effect, and can be obtained without a doctor’s prescription. Its name? Exercise.
Here are defining Health Benefits of exercise.
Check physical activity guidelines for:
- children (under 5 years)
- children and young people (5 to 18 years)
- exercise (adults 19 to 64 years)
- older adults (65 years and over)
We have always had access to the miracle remedy that is exercise, but for too long we have neglected to take the recommended dose. Our health is currently suffering as a result.
This is not quackery. There is substantial scientific evidence that physical activity, regardless of age, promotes a healthier and joyful lifestyle.
Regular exercise reduces the risk of developing many chronic conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and certain malignancies.
In addition to boosting self-esteem, mood, sleep quality, and vitality, physical activity reduces the risk of stress, clinical depression, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease, according to research.
Health Benefits of exercise
Given the overwhelming evidence, it seems obvious that we should all be physically active. It’s essential if you want to live a healthy and fulfilling life into old age.
It’s medically proven that people who do regular physical activity have lower risk of:
- coronary heart disease and stroke
- type 2 diabetes
- bowel cancer
- breast cancer in women
- early death
- osteoarthritis
- hip fracture
- falls (among older adults)
- depression
- dementia
What counts?
According to the UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines on GOV.UK, adults should strive to be physically active for at least 150 minutes per week through a variety of activities in order to maintain their health.
For most people, the simplest method to get moving is to incorporate activity into their daily lives, such as walking for health or cycling instead of driving. However, the more you participate in activities such as sports and exercise, the healthier you will become.
For any activity to be beneficial to your health, you must move quickly enough to raise your pulse rate, breathe more quickly, and feel warmed. This is referred to as moderate intensity activity. If you are exercising at a moderate intensity, you should still be able to speak, but you will not be able to croon.
An activity that requires increased exertion is a vigorous intensity activity. There is substantial evidence that vigorous activity can provide additional health benefits than moderate activity. When you are engaged in vigorous activity, you are inhaling heavily and rapidly, and your pulse rate has increased significantly. At this proficiency level, you will be unable to speak more than a few syllables without halting for a breath.
A modern problem
People are less active nowadays, partly because technology has made our lives easier. We drive cars or take public transport. Machines wash our clothes. We entertain ourselves in front of a TV or computer screen. Fewer people are doing manual work, and most of us have jobs that involve little physical effort. Work, household chores, shopping and other necessary activities are far less demanding than for previous generations.
We move around less and burn off less energy than people used to. Research suggests that many adults spend more than 7 hours a day sitting down, at work, on transport or in their leisure time. People aged over 65 spend 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down, making them the most sedentary age group.
Also read: How Exercising Improves our Mental Health
Sedentary lifestyles
Inactivity is characterized as a “silent killer” by the Department of Health and Social Care. There is mounting evidence that sedentary behavior, such as prolonged reclining or lying down, is detrimental to health.
Not only should you strive to increase your activity levels, but you and your family should also spend less time seated.
Sedentary activities include viewing television, using a computer, driving a vehicle for short distances, and lying down to read, converse, or listen to music. This type of behavior is believed to increase the risk of numerous chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, as well as weight gain and obesity.
Importantly, you can meet your weekly activity goal and still be at risk for illness if you spend the remaining time seated or lying down.
Check out the Department of Health and Social Care’s physical activity guidelines for a summary of the health benefits of being more active.
