5 Benefits to Exercise and How to Get Started!

In January, many of us reflect on how much exercise we regularly do and then pledge to ourselves to do more. How’s that going so far? This article outlines some key benefits of exercise as well as practical advice to help ensure your exercise routine is a success this year.

There are so many benefits to exercise. Regular strengthening, stretching, balance, and aerobic exercises improve fitness and health and support a longer lifespan.

In contrast, inactivity correlates with heart disease, stroke, some cancers and diabetes. According to official government statistics (ONS, 2022), ischaemic heart disease is the leading cause of death among males and the second leading cause of death among females. Regular physical exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, has many positive effects on health, including benefits to the cardiovascular system.

Exercise is almost certainly the most beneficial, accessible form of disease prevention available. Let’s do it!

The heart is a muscle that pumps blood around your body. The heart ensures oxygenated blood reaches working muscle and waste products, such as lactate, are taken away. This process enables you to keep exercising. When you workout aerobically, your heart gets as much of a workout as your legs and other muscles. When you exercise repeatedly over time, your heart muscle is able to work harder as it grows stronger – and so can you! You feel this improvement in your fitness as you become increasingly able to manage longer, more intense activity.

Hypertension affects 25% of the world’s population. It is a risk factor for cardiovascular disorders and other diseases. Exercise can effectively lower resting blood pressure. Post-exercise reductions in blood pressure range may reduce the risk of stroke by 6-14%, and the risk of coronary heart disease by 4-9%. This indicates the importance of acute exercise as a non-pharmacological treatment of hypertension.

While it’s important to have your blood pressure checked regularly, integrating aerobic exercise into your life is a positive step to the prevention of cardiovascular disease.

Our blood sugar levels rise and fall throughout the day to ensure that our brain and other metabolic tissues receive a regular energy supply. However, big swings in blood sugar levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Exercising for approximately 1-2 hours after eating can significantly help reduce blood sugar levels.  In addition, reducing blood sugar peaks and troughs can help you to maintain a healthy weight.

According to the Sleep Foundation, exercise can alleviate sleep-related problems by improving sleep quality, reducing the time it takes to fall asleep, and time spent awake during the night.

Exercise is associated with improvements in anxiety and depression. Regular exercise helps us feel calm and fall asleep more easily.

So, the more you move, the better you snooze!

The NHS, MIND and the Mental Health Foundation all have information that explains how exercise can improve mental health. Several factors support the connection between mental health and exercise including; improved sleep, self-confidence, social interaction, stress management, and health management.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines suggest the following physical activity for health.

Adults aged between 19 and 64 years should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week

For more information on physical activity guidelines, as well as recommendations for other age groups or people with specific needs visit the WHO website 

Many physical activities are aerobic, such as jogging, football, tennis, cycling, and aerobics (of course!). However, many of us prefer more relaxed, fun activities that we can easily integrate into our daily routine. These activities include gardening, climbing stairs, brisk walking, and dancing.