When people hear the word exercise, they either think: “Yes, I love exercise!”, “Yeah, I exercise putting food into my mouth!” or “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Besides getting fit and keeping your body healthy, there are many other benefits with adding exercise into your daily routine.
- Exercise can increase your energy levels and reduce the feeling of fatigue. The hard part is fighting the fatigue and going to the gym or on a walk, in order to reap the benefits of the extra energy.
- Exercise can make you feel happier! Did you know that when you workout your body produces endorphins and serotonin? Both of those help to boost your mood for the better. It also reduces anxiety and stress. The next time you feel stressed, take a run (or walk) outside and see if that increases your mood. Feeling upset or angry? Try hitting a punching bag to relive some of those feelings.
- Exercise can help your skin. Say what? It is true. Oxidative stress occurs when the body’s antioxidant defenses cannot fully repair the damage made to your skin. Scientists have found that moderate exercise helps your body produce natural antioxidants to protect and rebuild your skin cells. Exercise also increases your blood flow which in turn can help in delaying the appearance of aging.
- It can increase your memory. Like how exercise helps your skin with increased blood flow, it also helps your brain with increased blood flow. Exercise improves your brain function, increasing (or at least protecting) your memory and thinking skills. It is especially important in older adults, helping to increase the size of your hippocampus (part of your brain where memory and learning is stored).
- It can help with your sleep. Those who tend to exercise on a regular basis have better sleep habits. Energy depletion that happens during a workout stimulates the recuperative processes during sleep. Tired? Fight off the sleepiness by getting a good workout in to increase your energy and then to sleep better at night.
While you’re thinking about exercise, head over to our office at Higher Ground Chiropractic for an adjustment.