The Health Benefits of a Regular Fitness Routine

Health Benefits of a Regular Fitness Routine

[Disclaimer: Always check with your physician before beginning any exercise program.]

Do you ever feel sluggish? Or have a hard time focusing at work? Perhaps you’ve found yourself in a creative rut and can’t seem to move forward with one of your passion projects, like painting or songwriting.

If you’re thinking, “Yes, this is me! I’m in a slump, ugh!” … know you are not alone. We all go through dry spells from time to time when our work productivity and creative inspiration dwindles. Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the past two years has made these slumps commonplace for many. Parents have found the competing demands on their time excruciating. Kids and adults alike have struggled with social interaction limitations and disorientating schedule changes.

One surefire solution to the ambivalence and tiredness so many of us feel is as simple as putting on your shoes, opening your door, and taking a brisk walk outside.

Exercise – in any form – is one of the most powerful and effective antidotes to so many physical and mental health ailments. While physical activity alone is not likely to cure a mental health disorder or long-term health condition, it will definitely help.

Scientists have studied the impact of regular physical activity on our physical and mental health for years and years. The outcomes continue to point to improved emotional wellbeing and decreased risk for chronic disease.

Regular activity helps you feel better in the short and long term. You will notice:

Improved energy throughout the day
Improved mood (decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety)
Better sleep at night
More stable weight
Overall reduced risk of many cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (CVMD)

Exercise is a real game-changer! In this article, we explore some of the mental health and physical health benefits of exercise in a bit more depth.

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

Our mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being and it affects how we think, feel, and act.⁶ The state of our mental health also has a direct impact on our ability to handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. So when our mental health is suffering, we have a harder time engaging with the people around us and making decisions in our best interest.

If you are struggling, you may wish to consider the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach that includes therapy, medication (in some cases), and lifestyle modifications, including adjustments to diet, exercise, and sleep. For the purpose of our discussion today, we will highlight the specific benefits of exercise on improving your mental health. Though, a comprehensive treatment plan is most effective when the holistic needs of the individual are accounted for.

The evidence is overwhelming.⁹ Exercise leads to:

Reduced levels of stress and anxiety
Reduced feelings of depression
Improved mood
Increased energy
Feelings of empowerment, self-efficacy, and sense of purpose
Improved self-esteem
Increased social connection, improved relationships
Improved cognition and executive functioning skills, including the ability to sustain attention, problem-solve, plan, set goals, manage time, and switch between tasks

So, how exactly does exercise work such wonders?

The improvements you will see in your mood, energy, and overall wellbeing are caused by an increase in ‘feel good’ neurochemicals like serotonin and endorphins. These neurochemicals are naturally produced by the nervous system and are responsible for helping you deal with stress and pain. They are also released during pleasurable activities like eating, exercise, and sex. So, when you exercise, you will have an increased amount of the chemicals responsible for helping you feel good (and feel less stressed).

Additionally, exercise increases the circulation of blood throughout the body and brain. This increase of oxygen helps you think more clearly and increases the size of your hippocampus, which plays a major role in learning and memory.

The structural and functional changes that happen in the brain during exercise and over a sustained period of time make a big difference in your mental health.

Physical Health Benefits of Exercise

The physical health benefits of regular exercise are just as astounding as the mental health benefits. Researchers have known for years about the positive impact of physical fitness on the body.

Exercise helps with weight management

When paired with a healthy diet, regular physical activity contributes to weight loss and helps prevent excessive weight. If you are already at a healthy and stable weight, exercise will help you maintain your weight.

Exercise reduces the risk of many health conditions and diseases¹, including:

Heart disease
Stroke
Metabolic syndrome
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Type 2 diabetes
Depression
Anxiety
Arthritis
Falls
Many types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, lung, and stomach cancer⁸

Regular physical activity helps lower your blood sugar level and reduces insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps your body use glucose (sugar) more effectively. When you exercise, insulin works better to regulate the level of sugar in your blood. And when your blood sugars are stable, your risk of Type 2 Diabetes decreases.

Exercise also strengthens your heart and improves circulation in your blood, which increases the oxygen levels in your body. Increased oxygen in the blood lowers your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.

The reduced risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases ultimately increases longevity.⁴

Exercise strengthens your muscles and bones

Fitness helps with muscle and bone strengthening for children, teens, and adults. Strength-training activities promote increased muscle mass and slow the loss of bone density throughout the aging process.

Exercise improves sleep

Don’t we all wish for better sleep? For many, a deep and refreshing night of sleep feels like a luxury. But it doesn’t have to be. Studies show that regular exercise increases overall sleep quality: it decreases the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep at night (e.g., reduced sleep onset) and increases the amount of time you stay asleep throughout the night (e.g., fewer night wakings).² Exercise also improves daytime sleepiness. Goodbye, mid-afternoon lull!

Exercise improves cognitive function

Numerous studies have shown that physical activity has a direct and positive effect on the brain’s plasticity, or its structure and function.³ Moving your body will help you think more clearly, problem-solve more effectively, make wise judgments, shift from one task to another, and manage your time more efficiently.

Starting an Exercise Routine

Whether you are brand new to working out, revisiting your exercise regime after a break, or simply tweaking your fitness routine – no sweat. You can start anywhere and anytime – really!

You don’t have to purchase new equipment or join a gym. Though, in time, you may wish to invest in a few key items, like good shoes or an exercise mat, to support the activity you really enjoy. The most important thing is to move more and sit less. So, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park further away in the parking lot on purpose. Take on a few extra household chores like vacuuming and mopping. All these activities will keep you moving, and that’s a great start.

If you already know what kind of exercise you like, great!

Do that. You’ll have fun doing something you love and benefit from improved mental and physical health. Though, if you’re like most people getting back into fitness or exploring it for the first time, you may need a little help figuring out what you enjoy.

Walking is an accessible activity for most people that costs zero dollars and is almost always an option. Perhaps you may start with biweekly walks throughout your neighborhood to get your heart rate up and a few minutes of fresh air. How lovely it can be to go for a brisk walk in the cool fall air, which is just around the corner! Walking is also something you can easily do with the whole family – encourage your spouse to join you, bring the baby along in a stroller, invite your tween to ride his bike as you head out. Everyone in the family can do it!

Some people enjoy a more structured fitness regime that includes targeted exercises like squats, lunges, pushups, sit-ups, dumbbells, planks, and other ‘typical’ strength-training activities. It may be helpful to consult a fitness trainer or an experienced friend to set up a plan that meets your specific needs.

Many people enjoy exercises that tap into their love for the outdoors and/or social connection. If this is you, consider trying:

Gardening
Jogging
Swimming
Bicycling
A class, such as yoga, Pilates, barbell, kickboxing, or Zumba
Dance (freestyle or in a group setting)
Hiking
Rock climbing

Whatever you choose, try to stick with it for at least a few sessions before switching to something else. Remember, it’s normal to feel a little uncomfortable in the beginning – your body is getting used to moving in a new way and your mind is developing a new habit. Adjusting to a new fitness routine takes time. If, after a handful of sessions, you’re still bored, uncomfortable, or just displeased, don’t worry. Simply pick a different activity or exercise to try. You will (eventually!) find something you genuinely enjoy.

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes per week (or 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week) of moderate-to-intense aerobic activity.⁵ To build up to this duration and intensity of working out, try splitting the 30 minutes into three 10-minute increments or two 15-minute increments if you need to. Perhaps you may go for a 15-minute walk during your lunch break and another 15-minute walk after dinner.

To help your exercise habit stick, make time for it on your calendar. Block out the same days and times each week when you plan to work out. This way, you will be less likely to get to the end of the day and wonder how you ran out of time! (Hey – it happens to us all).

Conclusion

So, is exercise really worth it? The answer is a resounding yes.

A regular fitness routine promises an incredible array of benefits for your mental and physical health. It also offers an opportunity for social connection, meaningful connection with nature, and introspection.

To be sure, exercise alone will not ‘fix’ all emotional and behavioral health challenges nor cure every physical ailment. But it surely makes a big difference. Give it a try!

Here at Advenium, we offer fitness-assisted group therapy classes to help you get back on your feet. From yoga to dance to aquatics and more, we have a fitness-based group that will get you moving. Our unique therapy model pairs evidence-based psychological theory (like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) with hands-on activities. [Make an appointment] or give our office a call today to learn more. We have a group for you!

Is Exercise Really Worth It? The Health Benefits of a Regular Fitness Routine

[Disclaimer: Always check with your physician before beginning any exercise program.]

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

The evidence is overwhelming.⁹ Exercise leads to:

Physical Health Benefits of Exercise

Exercise helps with weight management

Exercise reduces the risk of many health conditions and diseases¹, including:

Exercise strengthens your muscles and bones

Exercise improves sleep

Exercise improves cognitive function

Starting an Exercise Routine

If you already know what kind of exercise you like, great!

Many people enjoy exercises that tap into their love for the outdoors and/or social connection. If this is you, consider trying:

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

Conclusion

References

Is Exercise Really Worth It? The Health Benefits of a Regular Fitness Routine

[Disclaimer: Always check with your physician before beginning any exercise program.]

Mental Health Benefits of Exercise

The evidence is overwhelming.9 Exercise leads to:

Physical Health Benefits of Exercise

Exercise helps with weight management

Exercise reduces the risk of many health conditions and diseases1, including:

Exercise strengthens your muscles and bones

Exercise improves sleep

Exercise improves cognitive function

Starting an Exercise Routine

If you already know what kind of exercise you like, great!

Many people enjoy exercises that tap into their love for the outdoors and/or social connection. If this is you, consider trying:

How Much Exercise Do You Need?

Conclusion

References

The evidence is overwhelming.⁹ Exercise leads to:

Exercise reduces the risk of many health conditions and diseases¹, including: