HOW IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RELATED TO YOUR HEALTH? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR EXERCISE?

HOW  IS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY  RELATED TO YOUR HEALTH? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR EXERCISE?

Physical activity or exercise can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases like type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease. Physical activity and exercise can have immediate and long-term health benefits. Most importantly, regular activity can improve your quality of life. A minimum of 30 minutes a day can allow you to enjoy these benefits.  

Benefits of regular physical activity

If you are regularly physically active, you may:

• reduce your risk of a heart attack 
• manage your weight better 
• have a lower blood cholesterol level 
• lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and some cancers 
• have lower blood pressure 
• have stronger bones, muscles and joints and lower risk of developing osteoporosis 
• lower your risk of falls 
• recover better from periods of hospitalisation or bed rest 
• feel better – with more energy, a better mood, feel more relaxed and sleep better. 

We know that staying active is one of the best ways to keep our bodies healthy. But did you know it can also improve your overall well-being and quality of life? 

Here are just a few of the ways physical activity can help you feel better, look better and live better. Because, why not?

It’s a natural mood lifter.

Regular physical activity can relieve stress, anxiety, depression and anger. You know that “feel good sensation” you get after doing something physical? Think of it as a happy pill with no side effects! Most people notice they feel better over time as physical activity becomes a regular part of their lives.

It keeps you physically fit and able.

Without regular activity, your body slowly loses its strength, stamina and ability to function properly. It’s like the old saying: you don’t stop moving from growing old, you grow old from stopping moving. Exercise increases muscle strength, which in turn increases your ability to do other physical activities. 

It helps keep the doctor away.

Stand up when you eat your apple a day! Too much sitting and other sedentary activities can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. One study showed that adults who watch more than 4 hours of television a day had an 80% higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease.   Being more active can help you:

• lower your blood pressure 
• boost your levels of good cholesterol
• improve blood flow (circulation)
• keep your weight under control
• prevent bone loss that can lead to osteoporosis

All of this can add up to fewer medical expenses, interventions and medications later in life!

It can help you live longer.

It’s true, 70 is the new 60… but only if you’re healthy. People who are physically active and at a healthy weight live about seven years longer than those who are not active and are obese. And the important part is that those extra years are generally healthier years! Staying active helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging. So active adults maintain their quality of life and independence longer as they age.

A healthier state of mind 

A number of studies have found that exercise helps depression. There are many views as to how exercise helps people with depression:

• Exercise may block negative thoughts or distract you from daily worries. 
• Exercising with others provides an opportunity for increased social contact. 
• Increased fitness may lift your mood and improve your sleep patterns. 
• Exercise may also change levels of chemicals in your brain, such as serotonin, endorphins and stress hormones.  

Aim for at least 40 minutes a day 

To maintain health and reduce your risk of health problems, health professionals and researchers recommend a minimum of 40 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days. 

Physical activity guidelines

• Doing any physical activity is better than doing none. If you currently do no physical activity, start by doing some, and gradually build-up to the recommended amount.
• Be active on most, preferably all, days every week. 
• Accumulate 150 to 300 minutes (2 ½ to 5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1 ¼ to 2 ½ hours) of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both moderate and vigorous activities, each week. 
• Do muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week.

Ways to increase physical activity

Increases in daily activity can come from small changes made throughout your day, such as walking or cycling instead of using the car, getting off a tram, train or bus a stop earlier and walking the rest of the way, or walking the children to school.  

So, this is easy! Just move more, with more intensity, and sit less. You don’t have to make big life changes to see the benefits. Just start building more activity into your day, one step at a time.