Exercise. Even for people who love to exercise, it can be hard to continue to be motivated to keep up a regular regimen of being active. Doctors almost universally agree, however, exercise is important for multiple aspects of your health. Those benefits extend far beyond just being able to run a mile or lift a certain amount of weight.

Exercise Leads to Weight Loss

It may not happen overnight, in fact, it may take a longer time than you were hoping or expecting. That being said, exercise is a major contributor to losing weight. Two major factors leading to healthier weights are increased metabolic rate and maximization of fat loss and both come from more exercise.

Exercise is Good For Your Muscles and Bones

By regularly exercising and eating a well-balanced diet with protein, you can build and strengthen muscle. Strong muscles will help in a number of regular activities but also contribute to a reduced chance of injury as you age. The same applies for strengthening your bones, which you can build in your youth or develop further through high-impact exercise.

Exercise Increases Your Energy Levels

It may seem counterintuitive, that using energy would help increase your energy, but several studies have shown an increase in energy for a number of different people when they regularly exercise for 6 weeks or more.

Exercise Makes Your Skin Healthier

There is a direct link between oxidative health and the way your skin looks. Regular exercise seems to be key to increasing the body’s production of antioxidants. That natural glow may not just be sweat, but your skin responding to the exercise it needs!

Exercise Helps Your Brain and Memory

Brain and memory are assisted by exercise in a number of ways. First, extra oxygen and blood flow produced by the activity helps the brain function better. Second, extra hormones are produced that enhance brain cell growth. Third, according to healthline.com, “Exercise has been shown to cause the hippocampus, a part of the brain that’s vital for memory and learning, to grow in size. This serves to increase mental function in older adults.” This is not just because you are so exhausted that you pass out! Instead, exercise helps to boost the restorative function causing deeper sleep and some studies have pointed to the increase in temperature created during most exercise to have an impact on the body’s ability to drop its temperature for deep sleep. In fact, sleep is so impacted by regular exercise that one study showed a 65% improvement in sleep when 150 minutes of exercise occurred each week. Obviously, if you have used an incorrect form or pushed yourself beyond what your body is ready for, you can increase your pain by exercising. However, exercise does reduce the levels of chronic pain. In some cases, by building the muscles around the location of the pain, you can provide better support to the areas impacted. Also, exercise seems to reduce the perception of pain allowing for greater functionality in a person’s life. Again, we know it seems counterintuitive because we know there are times when exercising simply is not fun. However, if you look at your overall health, the brain changes with regular exercise, including the parts that regulate stress and anxiety. Even short bursts of exercise or regular walking can help boost this benefit. If not for multiple reasons listed above, we hope all of our clients, family, and friends, find at least one of these to be a valuable enough reason to start or continue exercising on a regular basis. For other health needs, please come see one of our highly trained staff. We are open for extended hours at several locations across the state, find a clinic today.