1. You'll improve your memoryHave you ever felt like you think a bit more clearly after a good workout? Not only is your brain getting more energy and oxygen, but many studies have shown that exercise can boost your memory and help you learn better.
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2. You'll de-stressWe all have stress in our lives, whether it's the occasional rough day or a more serious, chronic problem. Stress can really wreak havoc with your mind, but it has been demonstrated that exercising is a great way to combat it. Not only are the endorphins natural stress-fighters, but getting yourself into that exercise groove helps getting your mind off the things stressing you out.
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3. You'll live longerIt's no secret that healthy living will keep you alive longer, but you might be surprised at how much. Scientists have tested that exercise improves life expectancy as much as quitting smoking. It really is true that sitting all day is killing you—and just a bit of regular exercise can stave off the reaper for a while.
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IMPROVING MEMORY After a bout of exercise, it's common for people to report that they seem to think a bit more clearly, and even be more creative. When you exercise, you increase your blood pressure and blood flow throughout the body. This includes the brain, so when you exercise your brain gets more energy and more oxygen. Another explanation for why working out enhances our mental capacity is that the hippocampus, a part of the brain critical for learning and memory, is highly active during exercise. When the neurons in this structure rev up, our cognitive function improves. For instance, studies in mice have revealed that running enhances spatial learning. Other recent work indicates that aerobic exercise can actually reverse hippocampal reduction, which occurs naturally with age, and consequently boost memory in older adults. Yet another study found that students who exercise perform better on tests than their less athletic peers. |
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STRESS
Acute and chronic stress
Everyone experiences stress in some way, shape, or form. We all recognize when we're in stressful situations, and we all know when we're stressed. At the same time, stress is more than just a feeling that we have a lot to deal with. We're focusing on so-called "bad stress," as opposed to "good stress," like the kind of you experience on a roller coaster (if you went on willingly), when you get a big promotion, or kiss someone for the first time. Aside from good stress, there are primarily two types of stress: Acute (short-term) stress that's usually a response to a specific influence (called a stressor), and chronic (long-term) stress that sticks with you and could either have sprung from a short-term stress that stuck with you, or a constant state of stress that you're under due to persistent stressors and conditions.
Acute and chronic stress
Everyone experiences stress in some way, shape, or form. We all recognize when we're in stressful situations, and we all know when we're stressed. At the same time, stress is more than just a feeling that we have a lot to deal with. We're focusing on so-called "bad stress," as opposed to "good stress," like the kind of you experience on a roller coaster (if you went on willingly), when you get a big promotion, or kiss someone for the first time. Aside from good stress, there are primarily two types of stress: Acute (short-term) stress that's usually a response to a specific influence (called a stressor), and chronic (long-term) stress that sticks with you and could either have sprung from a short-term stress that stuck with you, or a constant state of stress that you're under due to persistent stressors and conditions.
Exercise and stress relief
Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits. It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike also can contribute to this same feeling. It's meditation in motion. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you'll often find that you've forgotten the day's irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements.As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do. It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence, it can relax you, and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All of these exercise benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life. |
KEY TO LONGEVITY It's not a stretch to say that by leading an active lifestyle you're likely to live longer. According to several studies those who mentally and physically exercise regularly are more likely to outlive those who just exercise. No one should be surprised that regular physical exercise increases your life expectancy, however you may be a bit surprised that the increase is akin to quitting smoking. But people who also engage in cognitively demanding activities such as reading, writing, crossword puzzles, and other activities, are least likely to develop memory loss and they're also more likely to outlive people who led active lifestyles but didn't engage in mental stimulation. |
I've said that exercising is really beneficial for our health, but always in a moderate way. What I mean is that there are some who just work out everyday and an excesive excercise has never been a good thing. There have been many cases of people who exercised excessively, got injured for that excess and could never work out anymore. Another issue is when people take anabolic steroids to modelate their body as they like. So, you had better stay away from those issues if you don't want any problem.