If you’re not active, it can take a toll on your health and well-being. Not only can it increase your risk of developing a number of diseases, but it can also impact your mood and mental health.
The good news is that even a little bit of activity can make a big difference to your health. So whether you’re a runner or a couch potato, here are some reasons why you should be active.
1. It’s good for your heart
If you’re one of the many people who aren’t a huge fan of exercise, you might be surprised to hear that it is actually good for your heart. After all, it’s well-known that regular physical activity can help keep your weight down and reduce your risk of several diseases.
That’s why it is so important to be active as often as possible – and there are plenty of ways to make it happen. Here are a few tips for getting started:
1. Do aerobic activities, such as brisk walking, running, cycling and swimming.
Aerobic exercises help your heart beat faster, which lowers your blood pressure and improves your overall health. They also condition your heart to pump more blood around the body, which can prevent or treat high cholesterol levels and other health problems.
2. Strengthen muscles, especially the chest and back.
Stronger muscles are more likely to resist stress, making it easier to fight off illness and disease. You can improve your muscle strength by adding some resistance (weight) training to your aerobic routine. Talk to your doctor before you begin weight training, so you don’t strain your heart or other parts of your body.
3. Do moderate weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging and lifting light weights for a few sets each day.
Lifting weights can help increase your body’s strength and stamina, but they don’t help your heart like aerobic exercise does. So it’s important to talk to your doctor about how much and what type of weight training you should do if you have any medical conditions or if you’re already overweight.
4. Eat healthy foods, including a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Eating a wide variety of nutritious foods can reduce your risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. In fact, research shows that a heart-healthy diet can help you live longer and feel better.
You can eat heart-healthy foods every day, whether it’s fresh fruit, whole grains, fatty fish, legumes or low-fat dairy products. But to get the most benefits, Long Cao, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at Memorial Hermann Houston, recommends you mix up what you’re eating by including these 25 heart-healthy foods regularly.
2. It’s good for your bones
The way you move around and the food you eat is important for the health of your bones. Exercise strengthens bones like muscles, and it helps them grow and become stronger over time.
Bones are made of bone matrix, a dense network of calcium-rich connective tissue that acts as a protective layer against bacterial infections, fluid loss and excessive stress. When you’re young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone. As you get older, your bone mass slowly declines.
It’s important to build strong bones from childhood, adolescence and throughout adulthood. You can build and maintain healthy bones throughout your life by following a healthy diet that contains sufficient calcium and vitamin D and maintaining a regular physical activity routine.
You should aim to eat a variety of foods, focusing on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and dairy. Fruits and vegetables are especially rich in vitamins and minerals that help your bones stay healthy.
Dark green leafy vegetables such as bok choy, Chinese cabbage, kale and collard greens are particularly good sources of calcium. They also contain magnesium and other minerals that can improve your bone health.
Tomato juice is also high in calcium and magnesium, as well as vitamins C and A. It’s a great choice for a low-calorie drink that’s also delicious.
Cashews are another good source of calcium and magnesium. They’re also a good plant-based source of protein, which can help reduce your risk of osteoporosis.
Red sweet peppers are also a good source of minerals, including calcium and vitamin K. They’re a great addition to salads and soups, or they can be used in grilled dishes.
The key to keeping your bones strong is to maintain a regular, moderate exercise routine that includes weight-bearing activities, such as walking, climbing stairs and lifting light weights. You should aim to exercise at least 30 minutes a day on non-consecutive days.
Exercising can also help to relieve joint pain and stiffness, and it can be helpful for people who have arthritis or other musculoskeletal conditions. This is because regular exercise can help to stimulate blood circulation to the joints, which can lead to the release of synovial fluid. This lubricates the joints and makes movement more comfortable.
3. It’s good for your mood
If you’re looking for ways to boost your mood and stay happy, exercise is one of the best things you can do. It stimulates the release of brain chemicals that improve your well-being, including endorphins and norepinephrine.
It also helps you maintain a healthy body weight, which can have positive effects on your mental health and overall wellbeing. It can also help prevent and manage many long-term (chronic) conditions, such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes and some cancers.
In addition to its many physical benefits, exercise can help you feel more in control of your life and boost your self-esteem. It can also increase the quality of your sleep and improve your energy levels.
The best way to get started is to talk to your GP or healthcare professional about the right type of exercise for you. They will advise you on the safest way to start and will help you make sure you get enough exercise for your health.
To ensure you’re getting the most out of your workout, choose activities that are fun and easy to do and avoid overdoing them. For example, if you’re new to running or cycling, start with brisk walks. You can gradually add more distance and time to your workout until you’re comfortable with it.
It’s also important to eat a variety of foods that contain good mood-boosting nutrients, such as complex carbohydrates, proteins and antioxidant-rich foods. These can help you to relax, concentrate and focus on the things that matter to you, says registered dietitian Sarah Thomsen Ferreira, MS, MPH, RD, IFNCP.
4. It’s good for your sleep
Exercise is good for many things, but a regular dose of physical activity can be the best thing you can do for your sleep. Not only does it help you stay healthier, but research shows that it can also improve your sleep quality.
When you’re physically active, your body re-balances its sleep schedule so that you spend more time in the restorative, deep stages of sleep and less time in the lighter, wakefulness-inducing stages. This is what’s called “reparative” sleep, which is key to the process of repairing your muscles and brain cells.
While the ideal amount of sleep varies by age and health, the National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of rest per night for adults. And the more sound and restful your sleep is, the more energy you have to function during the day.
A study conducted by researchers at Harvard University found that people who were physically active had longer, deeper, and more restorative sleep than those who weren’t as physically active. In addition, the participants reported fewer morning wakings and more regular sleeping hours.
Ideally, you should complete moderate-intensity exercises like walking, jogging, or swimming at least 30 minutes a day. However, if you’re short on time and can’t make that happen, light activity such as a walk around the block or parking your car a little farther away from your destination are just as beneficial for your sleep.
You should also be consistent about exercising; if you can’t fit in a workout on a specific day, then try to make sure it happens at some point that week. And remember, it can take several months of consistent activity to notice the sleep-promoting benefits.
While there are a few different types of physical activities that are better for your sleep, endurance-based workouts (running, walking, swimming, cycling) at a moderate intensity are the most optimal. This is because these types of exercises are known to help you get more restful and deep sleep, which can increase your overall health.