We all know exercise is fantastic for the mind, body and soul. The moment you start raising your heart rate, building up a sweat and feeling those endorphins rush through your body you begin to reap the rewards!
Whether you have been exercising for a long time or just starting out you are most likely familiar with the most common benefits of working up a good sweat; weight management, prevention of heart and cardiovascular disease, improved fitness , stamina and muscular strength to name a few. We often focus on the physical, external benefits of working out, but the health benefits are also incredibly valuable.
Health, Physical and Mental Benefits of Exercise:
- Improved quality of sleep. Sleep is absolutely vital when it comes to your health and fitness journey. Exercising regularly means you are burning off more energy throughout the day which consequently helps you to feel ready to rest and switch off when bedtime arrives. Exercise can be a fantastic stress reliever which in turn can be a big contributor to a more relaxed and restful sleep.
- Improved energy levels. Contrary to popular belief, when you’re feeling tired exercise can actually be your secret weapon to feeling more alert and upbeat. Exercising gets your blood pumping more efficiently while delivering more oxygen throughout the body. This helps you to feel more awake and alert. Studies show that just 10 minutes of physical activity and movement can be great for your mind, body and soul.
- Glowing skin is always in! Increased blood circulation caused by exercise can actually do wonders for our skin leaving us with a bright and healthy glow. Increasedblood circulation can also be great for removing the toxins our cells don’t need while reducing inflammation of the skin.
- You will feel less stressed. Exercise is not a one stop solution for all your troubles but it can certainly help to manage your stress levels daily. A brilliant by – product of exercise are the feel good endorphins that get released around the body when you start to work up a sweat. Endorphins can leave you feeling great and energized long after your workout has finished. Additional to this exercises such as Pilates can be a great calming tool for your muscles and mind.
- You’ll boost your brainpower and improve productivity. When you’re working up a sweat you aren’t just working your muscles and lungs, you are actually stimulating your brain at the same time. During exercise there is an increased blood flow to your brain. This keeps your brain cells happy and healthy due to the double dosage of oxygen.
- Exercise makes you happy! Countless research has proven that all forms of exercise anything from a gentle walk to a sweaty hiit session can be beneficial to our mental and emotional health. As humans we are creatures of habit. We are far likely to stick to something that makes us happy so always find something you enjoy!
- A confidence boost. The more you exercise, the healthier you are and the better you FEEL about yourself. A lot of our focus is on our bodies and our exterior but the most important factor on our health and fitness journey should really be about how we feel. Knowing you have achieved something that you have been working towards can be a huge morale boost and something to be really proud of.
There are countless benefits of exercise on both our physical and mental health. The next step is finding out exactly which form of exercise is right for you!
