Some exercise is better than none; more exercise is generally better than less, and no exercise can be disastrous.
We all unconsciously know that exercise is good for us. It is fair to say that everyone wants to be healthy. At the same time, it is probably equally fair to say that most of us are not exercising enough. On the internet, you can find a number of tips, tricks and hacks on how to get motivation to do just about everything, including exercising.
The main incentive that can make you start exercising is overall health improvement. But what exactly exercise can do for you? Here is the list of scientifically proven health benefits the regular exercise brings.
People who are physically active live longer. Regular exercise reduces the risk of dying prematurely 4,5.
2 New brain cells development
Exercise stimulates the formation of new brain cells (neurons)6,7. Also, exercise strengthens connections between those cells. The areas of the brain that are stimulated through exercise are associated with memory and learning.
Physical activity improves cognitive performance, information processing and may delay cognitive impairment and dementia1,2. For instance, older adults who engage in regular physical activity have better performances in tests implying decision-making process, memory and problems solving.
And what about children? University of Illinois researchers8,9 have found that physical activity may enhance the academic achievements of children by improving their attention and working memory skills.
4 Prevention of cardiovascular disease
There is a direct relation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular death10.
Regular physical activity makes your heart, like any other muscle, stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. Regular exercise also prevents heart disease by lowering blood pressure, increasing good HDL cholesterol that transports fat away from the arteries and back to the liver for processing, reducing levels of bad LDL cholesterol that can form fatty deposits in the arteries and by preventing blood clots.
In a long-term Swedish study women and men who were physically active at least twice a week had a 41% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease than those who performed no physical activity11.
5 Cholesterol lowering effect
Physical exercise favourably influences blood cholesterol levels by decreasing LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol12,13.
Exercise itself does not burn off cholesterol like it does with fat. Physical exercise can positively alter cholesterol metabolism by increasing the production and action of several enzymes in the muscles and liver that function to convert some of the cholesterol to a more favorable form, such as HDL-cholesterol.
6 Prevention and control of type 2 diabetes
There is strong evidence14,15 (e.g. Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study and the Diabetes Prevention Program in the USA) that moderate physical activity combined with weight loss and balanced diet can confer a 50-60% reduction in risk of developing diabetes among those already at high risk.
Regular physical activity may improve insulin resistance and glucose tolerance and is highly effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in persons with impaired glucose regulation.
7 Blood pressure lowering
The ways by which exercise can cause a reduction in blood pressure are unclear, but all forms of exercise seem to be effective in reducing blood pressure. Regular exercise decreases blood pressure in approximately 75% of hypertensive persons with an average decrease of 11 and 8 Hg mm for systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively17.
Regular exercise may decrease blood pressure in overweight and obese persons even without changes in body weight. Aerobic exercise appeares to have a slightly greater effect on blood pressure in hypertensive individuals than in individuals without hypertension.
Low physical activity increases the risk of hypertension16.
8 Prevention of neoplastic (cancer) diseases
Evidence exists that physical activity may be associated with a lower risk of several common forms of cancer, most notably colon and breast cancer18,19.
9 Reduced risk of stroke
Research data indicates that moderate and high levels of physical activity may reduce the risk of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes20.
People who have good physical function after the age of 40 may lower their risk of stroke by as much as 50 percent compared to people who are not able to climb stairs, kneel, bend, or lift as well.
10 Weight control
Regular physical activity helps to reach and maintain a healthy weight. If you take in more calories than needed in a day, exercise offsets a caloric overload and controls body weight. It speeds the rate of energy use, resulting in increased metabolism. When metabolism increases through exercise, you will maintain the faster rate for longer periods of a day.
11 Muscle strength
Health studies21 repeatedly show that strength training increases muscle strength and mass and decreases fat tissue.
12 Attractive body
With perfect body you look better in clothes and you look better naked. Exercise helps reduce body fat by building muscle mass. Both resistance and aerobic exercise improve body composition even without dieting22.
13 Bone strength
An active lifestyle benefits bone density. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation, delays bone loss and may protect against osteoporosis (form of bone loss associated with aging)23.
14 Strong immune system
Regular moderate exercise may have a beneficial effect on the immune function. The findings from some studies support the possibility that exercise may delay immunosenescence (age dependent decline in immune function)24.
15 Better night sleep
If you suffer from poor sleep, daily exercise can make the difference. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after exercise may help to fall asleep. Researches from the Stanford University School of Medicine25 found that regular exercise provides improvement in general quality of sleep, quicker sleep-onset, longer sleep duration and feeling rested in the morning.
16 Better sex life
Regular exercise maintains or improves sex life. Physical improvements in muscle strength and tone, endurance, body composition and cardiovascular function can all enhance sexual functioning in both men and women. Men who exercise regularly are less likely to have erectile dysfunction and impotence than are men who don't exercise26.
17 Back pain remedy
By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain. High quality studies27 prove that exercise is effective for recurrent low back pain.
18 Stress managment
Exercise can cause release of chemicals called endorphins into your blood stream. These chemicals give you a feeling of happiness and positively affect your overall sense of well-being.
19 Alternative to antidepressants
Study after study has shown that exercise promotes mental health and reduces symptoms of depression28,29. The antidepressant effect of regular physical exercise is comparable to the potent antidepressants.
Research suggests that it may take at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least three to five days a week to significantly improve symptoms of depression. However, smaller amounts of activity (as little as 10 to 15 minutes at a time) have been shown to improve mood in the short term.
Severe, exhaustive exercise, inhibits gastric emptying, interferes with gastrointestinal absorption, and may cause hearburn and gastrointestinal bleeding.
20 Gastrointestinal tract benefits
Exercise is beneficial for persons suffering from cholelithiasis and constipation. Physical activity may reduce the risk of diverticulosis, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, and inflammatory bowel disease31.
21 Therapy for postmenopausal women
High-intensity exercise significantly reduces negative changes related to the menopausal transition30.
We all unconsciously know that exercise is good for us. It is fair to say that everyone wants to be healthy. At the same time, it is probably equally fair to say that most of us are not exercising enough. On the internet, you can find a number of tips, tricks and hacks on how to get motivation to do just about everything, including exercising.
The main incentive that can make you start exercising is overall health improvement. But what exactly exercise can do for you? Here is the list of scientifically proven health benefits the regular exercise brings.
It is never late to begin exercising5. Regular physical activity provides benefits to men and women of all ages
1 LongevityPeople who are physically active live longer. Regular exercise reduces the risk of dying prematurely 4,5.
2 New brain cells development
Exercise stimulates the formation of new brain cells (neurons)6,7. Also, exercise strengthens connections between those cells. The areas of the brain that are stimulated through exercise are associated with memory and learning.
Researches from the Netherlands found that decline in cognitive functioning is associated with a higher mortality risk3
3 Cognitive and mental function enhancementPhysical activity improves cognitive performance, information processing and may delay cognitive impairment and dementia1,2. For instance, older adults who engage in regular physical activity have better performances in tests implying decision-making process, memory and problems solving.
And what about children? University of Illinois researchers8,9 have found that physical activity may enhance the academic achievements of children by improving their attention and working memory skills.
Lack of physical activity is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases
4 Prevention of cardiovascular disease
There is a direct relation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular death10.
Regular physical activity makes your heart, like any other muscle, stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. Regular exercise also prevents heart disease by lowering blood pressure, increasing good HDL cholesterol that transports fat away from the arteries and back to the liver for processing, reducing levels of bad LDL cholesterol that can form fatty deposits in the arteries and by preventing blood clots.
In a long-term Swedish study women and men who were physically active at least twice a week had a 41% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease than those who performed no physical activity11.
5 Cholesterol lowering effect
Physical exercise favourably influences blood cholesterol levels by decreasing LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol and increasing HDL cholesterol12,13.
Exercise itself does not burn off cholesterol like it does with fat. Physical exercise can positively alter cholesterol metabolism by increasing the production and action of several enzymes in the muscles and liver that function to convert some of the cholesterol to a more favorable form, such as HDL-cholesterol.
6 Prevention and control of type 2 diabetes
There is strong evidence14,15 (e.g. Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study and the Diabetes Prevention Program in the USA) that moderate physical activity combined with weight loss and balanced diet can confer a 50-60% reduction in risk of developing diabetes among those already at high risk.
Regular physical activity may improve insulin resistance and glucose tolerance and is highly effective in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes in persons with impaired glucose regulation.
7 Blood pressure lowering
The ways by which exercise can cause a reduction in blood pressure are unclear, but all forms of exercise seem to be effective in reducing blood pressure. Regular exercise decreases blood pressure in approximately 75% of hypertensive persons with an average decrease of 11 and 8 Hg mm for systolic and diastolic blood pressure respectively17.
Regular exercise may decrease blood pressure in overweight and obese persons even without changes in body weight. Aerobic exercise appeares to have a slightly greater effect on blood pressure in hypertensive individuals than in individuals without hypertension.
Low physical activity increases the risk of hypertension16.
8 Prevention of neoplastic (cancer) diseases
Evidence exists that physical activity may be associated with a lower risk of several common forms of cancer, most notably colon and breast cancer18,19.
9 Reduced risk of stroke
Research data indicates that moderate and high levels of physical activity may reduce the risk of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes20.
People who have good physical function after the age of 40 may lower their risk of stroke by as much as 50 percent compared to people who are not able to climb stairs, kneel, bend, or lift as well.
10 Weight control
Regular physical activity helps to reach and maintain a healthy weight. If you take in more calories than needed in a day, exercise offsets a caloric overload and controls body weight. It speeds the rate of energy use, resulting in increased metabolism. When metabolism increases through exercise, you will maintain the faster rate for longer periods of a day.
11 Muscle strength
Health studies21 repeatedly show that strength training increases muscle strength and mass and decreases fat tissue.
12 Attractive body
With perfect body you look better in clothes and you look better naked. Exercise helps reduce body fat by building muscle mass. Both resistance and aerobic exercise improve body composition even without dieting22.
13 Bone strength
An active lifestyle benefits bone density. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation, delays bone loss and may protect against osteoporosis (form of bone loss associated with aging)23.
14 Strong immune system
Regular moderate exercise may have a beneficial effect on the immune function. The findings from some studies support the possibility that exercise may delay immunosenescence (age dependent decline in immune function)24.
15 Better night sleep
If you suffer from poor sleep, daily exercise can make the difference. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after exercise may help to fall asleep. Researches from the Stanford University School of Medicine25 found that regular exercise provides improvement in general quality of sleep, quicker sleep-onset, longer sleep duration and feeling rested in the morning.
16 Better sex life
Regular exercise maintains or improves sex life. Physical improvements in muscle strength and tone, endurance, body composition and cardiovascular function can all enhance sexual functioning in both men and women. Men who exercise regularly are less likely to have erectile dysfunction and impotence than are men who don't exercise26.
17 Back pain remedy
By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain. High quality studies27 prove that exercise is effective for recurrent low back pain.
18 Stress managment
Exercise can cause release of chemicals called endorphins into your blood stream. These chemicals give you a feeling of happiness and positively affect your overall sense of well-being.
19 Alternative to antidepressants
Study after study has shown that exercise promotes mental health and reduces symptoms of depression28,29. The antidepressant effect of regular physical exercise is comparable to the potent antidepressants.
Research suggests that it may take at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least three to five days a week to significantly improve symptoms of depression. However, smaller amounts of activity (as little as 10 to 15 minutes at a time) have been shown to improve mood in the short term.
Severe, exhaustive exercise, inhibits gastric emptying, interferes with gastrointestinal absorption, and may cause hearburn and gastrointestinal bleeding.
20 Gastrointestinal tract benefits
Exercise is beneficial for persons suffering from cholelithiasis and constipation. Physical activity may reduce the risk of diverticulosis, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, and inflammatory bowel disease31.
21 Therapy for postmenopausal women
High-intensity exercise significantly reduces negative changes related to the menopausal transition30.
References
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- 2. Colcombe S, Kramer AF. Fitness effects on the cognitive function of older adults. Psychol Sci. 2003 Mar;14(2):125-30. PubMed
- 3. van Gelder BM, Tijhuis MA, Kalmijn S, Giampaoli S, Kromhout D. Decline in cognitive functioning is associated with a higher mortality risk. Neuroepidemiology. 2007;28(2):93-100. PubMed
- 4. Rosengren A, Wilhelmsen L. Physical activity protects against coronary death and deaths from all causes in middle-aged men. Evidence from a 20-year follow-up of the primary prevention study in Goteborg. Ann Epidemiol. 1997 Jan;7(1):69-75. PubMed
- 5. Leitzmann MF, Park Y, Blair A, Ballard-Barbash R, Mouw T, Hollenbeck AR, Schatzkin A. Physical activity recommendations and decreased risk of mortality. Arch Intern Med. 2007 Dec 10;167(22):2453-60.
- 6. Brene S, Bjornebekk A, Aberg E, Mathe' AA, Olson L, Werme M. Running is rewarding and antidepressive. Physiol Behav. 2007 Sep 10;92(1-2):136-40.
- 7. Wu CW, Chen YC, Yu L, et al. Treadmill exercise counteracts the suppressive effects of peripheral lipopolysaccharide on hippocampal neurogenesis and learning and memory. J Neurochem. 2007 Dec;103(6):2471-81. PubMed
- 8. Castelli DM, Hillman CH, Buck SM, Erwin HE. Physical fitness and academic achievement in third- and fifth-grade students. J Sport Exerc Psychol. 2007 Apr;29(2):239-52. PubMed
- 9. Hillman CH, Castelli DM, Buck SM. Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function in healthy preadolescent children. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2005 Nov;37(11):1967-74. PubMed
- 10. Janssen I, Jolliffe CJ. Influence of physical activity on mortality in elderly with coronary artery disease. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006 Mar;38(3):418-7 PubMed
- 11. Sundquist K, Qvist J, Johansson SE, Sundquist J. The long-term effect of physical activity on incidence of coronary heart disease: a 12-year follow-up study. Prev Med. 2005 Jul;41(1):219-25.
- 12. Kelley GA, Kelley KS, Tran ZV. Walking, lipids, and lipoproteins. Kelley GA, Kelley KS, Tran ZV. Prev Med. 2004 May;38(5):651-61. PubMed
- 13. Kelley GA, Kelley KS, Tran ZV. Aerobic exercise and lipids and lipoproteins in women. J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2004 Dec;13(10):1148-64. PubMed
- 14. Tuomilehto J, Lindstrom J, Eriksson JG. Prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus by changes in lifestyle among subjects with impaired glucose tolerance. N Engl J Med. 2001 May 3;344(18):1343-50. PubMed
- 15. Knowler WC, Barrett-Connor E, Fowler SE, Hamman RF, Lachin JM, Walker EA, Nathan DM. Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin. N Engl J Med. 2002 Feb 7;346(6):393-403. PubMed
- 16. Barengo NC, Hu G, Kastarinen M, Lakka TA, Pekkarinen H, Nissinen A, Tuomilehto J. J Hypertens. 2005 Feb;23(2):293-9. PubMed
- 17. Pinto A, Di Raimondo D, Tuttolomondo A, Fernandez P, Arnao V, Licata G. Twenty-four hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring to evaluate effects on blood pressure of physical activity in hypertensive patients. Clin J Sport Med. 2006 May;16(3):238-43. PubMed
- 18. McTiernan A, Kooperberg C, White E, Wilcox S, Coates R, Adams-Campbell LL, Woods N, Ockene J. Recreational physical activity and the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women: the Women's Health Initiative Cohort Study. JAMA. 2003 Sep 10;290(10):1331-6. PubMed
- 19. Wolin KY, Lee IM, Colditz GA, Glynn RJ, Fuchs C, Giovannucci E. Leisure-time physical activity patterns and risk of colon cancer in women. Int J Cancer. 2007 Dec 15;121(12):2776-81.
- 20. Chong Do Lee, EdD; Aaron R. Folsom, MD Steven N. Blair Physical Activity and Stroke Risk. Stroke. 2003;34:2475-2481
- 21.Kim HD, Park JS. The effect of an exercise program on body composition and physical fitness in obese female college students. Taehan Kanho Hakhoe Chi. 2006 Feb;36(1):5-14. PubMed
- 22. Fenkci S, Sarsan A, Rota S, Ardic F. Effects of resistance or aerobic exercises on metabolic parameters in obese women who are not on a diet. Adv Ther. 2006 May-Jun;23(3):404-13. PubMed
- 23. Kemmler W, Lauber D, Weineck J, Hensen J, Kalender W, Engelke K. Benefits of 2 years of intense exercise on bone density, physical fitness, and blood lipids in early postmenopausal osteopenic women. Arch Intern Med. 2004 May 24;164(10):1084-91. PubMed
- 24. Drela N, Kozdron E, Szczypiorski P. Free in PMC Moderate exercise may attenuate some aspects of immunosenescence. BMC Geriatr. 2004 Sep 29;4:8. PubMed
- 25. King AC, Oman RF, Brassington GS, Bliwise DL, Haskell WL. Moderate-intensity exercise and self-rated quality of sleep in older adults. JAMA. 1997 Jan 1;277(1):32-7.
- 26. Bacon CG, Mittleman MA, Kawachi I, Giovannucci E, Glasser DB, Rimm EB. Sexual function in men older than 50 years of age. Ann Intern Med. 2003 Aug 5;139(3):161-8. PubMed
- 27. Koumantakis GA, Watson PJ, Oldham JA. Trunk muscle stabilization training plus general exercise and general exercise only for recurrent low back pain. Phys Ther. 2005 Mar;85(3):209-25. PubMed
- 28. Babyak M, Blumenthal JA, Herman S, Khatri P, Doraiswamy M, Moore K, Craighead WE, Baldewicz TT, Krishnan KR. Exercise for major depression. Psychosom Med. 2000 Sep-Oct;62(5):633-8.
- 29. Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Doraiswamy PM, Watkins L, Hoffman BM. Psychosom Med. 2007 Sep-Oct;69(7):587-96.
- 30. Kemmler W, Engelke K, von Stengel S, Weineck J, Lauber D, Kalender WA. Long-term four-year exercise has a positive effect on menopausal risk factors. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 Feb;21(1):232-9. PubMed
- 31. Peters HP, De Vries WR, Vanberge-Henegouwen GP, Akkermans LM. Potential benefits and hazards of physical activity and exercise on the gastrointestinal tract. Gut. 2001 Mar;48(3):435-9.
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