Exercising everyday from a quick workout at home to a long distance run can have effects on you both physically and mentally. From the obvious reasons of fitness and healthiness, exercise can also be used to keep you happier and boost many parts of your mind's health. It is very important to keep a level of fitness throughout life as it can boost your immune system and make your body work more efficiently. A moderate level of exercise everyday can go a long way and even make you live longer.
How exercise affects us
Obviously physical activity is the best way to keep fit and control weight making it a powerful tool in everyone's lives. Our bodies need some sort of fitness level to be able to function at 100% and exercise is the way we do it. Exercise is the most important way to get a healthy heart which protects you from lots of health complications such as; strokes, blood pressure, some cancers and heart attacks. Our bodies are made up of lots of muscles (including the heart) and they need to be used and kept in shape. When we exercise we also boost our energies levels as we build up our energy capacities so we don't tire easily all the time.
Exercise and sleep
Exercise can also help people drift off to sleep better. Regular exercise can expel energy that you amass that might keep you up and make you more tired for when you need to sleep. Keep this exercise to the morning and afternoon as if you exercise right before bed your body will still be in an energized state. When we exercise our heart rate increases and as we wind down towards the evening our heart rate slows which promotes drowsiness in our brains to help sleep come easier.
Exercise and mental health
Although exercise is well known for its abundance of physical benefits, it can also help you mentally with your mood and self esteem. Getting out and going for a walk or run can lift you up a lot because it stimulates parts of your brain that control anxiety and happiness. A change of scenery and time away can take your mind off of problems in everyday life and also contribute to healthiness. Another way that it helps is it allows us to blow off some steam if it has been a bad day. Exercise also releases endorphins which is a chemical in your brain that makes you happier and relaxed. It can also alleviate stress and pent up energy that needs to be released. Exercising outside also can improve your mood by changing your scenery and getting some fresh air outside.
