Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity

You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life

Want to feel better, be more energetic, and even live longer? Just get moving.

Regular physical activity and exercise have many positive health effects that are difficult to deny. Everyone, regardless of age, sex, or physical ability, benefits from exercise.

Need more persuasion to move forward? Here are seven ways that exercising might make you happier and healthier.

1. Exercise controls weight

Exercise can assist sustain weight loss or prevent excessive weight gain. Calorie burn occurs during physical exertion. You burn more calories when you engage in more vigorous exercise.

Frequent gym visits are important, but don't stress if you can't find a significant amount of time to work out every day. Whatever you do is preferable to doing nothing at all. Simply increase your daily activity to reap the benefits of exercise. Take the stairs instead of the lift or work harder at your housework. Key is consistency.

2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Heart illness giving you pause? Want to lower your blood pressure? Notwithstanding your present weight, exercising increases the "good" cholesterol known as high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and lowers the bad cholesterol known as triglycerides. Your blood continues to flow normally as a result of these two factors, lowering your risk of cardiovascular problems.

Several health issues and difficulties are prevented or managed by regular exercise, including:

Metabolic syndrome Stroke

elevated blood pressure

diabetes type 2

Depression\sAnxiety

many different cancers

Arthritis\sFalls

Also, it can enhance cognitive performance and lessen the risk of dying from any reason.

3. Exercise improves mood

Need some emotional support? Or do you need to unwind after a demanding day? Exercise in the gym or a brisk walk can assist. Several brain chemicals are stimulated by physical activity, which may make you feel happier, more at ease, and less stressed.

Regular exercise can also help you feel better about your appearance and yourself, which can increase your confidence and self-esteem.

4. Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.

Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to snooze? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep

6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can improve energy levels and increase your confidence about your physical appearance, which may boost your sex life.

But there's even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise

7. Exercise can be fun … and social

Exercise and physical activity can be enjoyable. They give you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply engage in activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.

So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.

The bottom line on exercise

Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have fun. For most healthy adults, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:

Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. To provide even greater health benefit and to assist with weight loss or maintaining weight loss, at least 300 minutes a week is recommended. But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefit.

Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, biking, swimming and mowing the lawn. Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, heavy yardwork and aerobic dancing. Strength training can include use of weight machines, your own body weight, heavy bags, resistance tubing or resistance paddles in the water, or activities such as rock climbing.

If you want to lose weight, meet specific fitness goals or get even more benefits, you may need to ramp up your moderate aerobic activity even more.

Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness, haven't exercised for a long time, have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis.