How Regular Exercise Impacts Your Health
We all know regular exercise is important for us, but why? Whether it’s cardio or strength training, exercising releases tons of neurotransmitters in the brain that make us feel good. Regular exercise has shown to improve mental health, cognitive function, immune function, increase daily productivity, and may even promote some anti-aging effects as well. Read below for some of the awesome effects exercise has on our bodies!
Improves Cognitive Function:
A newly published study in May 2021 by Boston Children’s Hospital found that regular physical activity has positive effects on developing brain circuits that play a fundamental role in cognitive functions, memory, decision-making, and attention support. This area of research has been heavily talked about in the past, as other studies have found that running was associated with the creation of new brain cells in the hippocampus, cycling has shown to increase blood flow to the brain which is linked to mechanisms responsible for cell growth and brain function improvement, and breathing-focused yoga has shown to decrease stress and increase attention span.
Increases Productivity:
In my opinion, how productive you are on a certain day is heavily based off your mood, energy and environment. Part of the reason we feel so good after exercising is because the brain is naturally releasing neurotransmitters - two important ones are endorphins and serotonin:
Endorphins are the body’s internal painkiller. So instead of feeling pain, we are left with this therapeutic feel-good “high” sensation after working out. Serotonin is a natural mood-booster, which also increases our feelings of pleasure. The Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience published an article stating that exercise may be one of the few non-pharmaceutical ways to boost serotonin function in the brain.
Additionally, regular exercise has shown to increase both physical and mental energy over time, by decreasing stress hormones and increasing overall alertness throughout the day. A protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is shown to boost cognitive abilities and is triggered by exercise. BDNF’s main role is to promote the survival and growth of neurons and to ensure the proper transmission of chemical messages between brain cells. The presence of BDNF in the brain strengthens neurons, ensuring their survivability, which means message signaling continues along nicely, sustaining positive mood, intact memory and better learning. All this combined together is a definite way to keep your mind stimulated and your body ready to tackle the day, no matter how hard it may be!
Anti-Aging Effects:
Regular exercise has shown to decrease signs of aging by maintaining muscle strength, improving bone density, and lengthening telomeres. Scientists have found that resistance training is the best way to slow down the loss of muscle mass, which is a normal process of aging. Maintaining muscle strength is important in older adults because it makes everyday activities like cooking, walking, and cleaning less difficult.
Another normal process of aging is bone mass loss, which occurs around the age of 30-40. Osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones and increases the risk of fractures, affects women more often than men, due to the lack of estrogen that naturally occurs in the body after menopause. Low-intensity workouts such as cycling, yoga, and swimming along with weight-bearing exercises can help reduce the risk of bone fractures.
Telomeres are the caps on the ends of DNA strands, which naturally shorten with aging. Telomeres play a central role in cell fate and aging by adjusting the cellular response to stress and growth stimulation on the basis of previous cell divisions and DNA damage. As more stress and cell turnover is presented to the body, telomere length shortens. Telomere length is connected to certain chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, aplastic anemia, pulmonary fibrosis, and cancer. Several studies found that higher levels of physical activity are related to longer telomere lengths in some people, compared to those who are sedentary, due to research showing that exercise may reverse DNA damage and increase anti-aging effects of cells.
Improves Immune Function:
Along with improving cardiovascular health and keeping bones strong and healthy, regular exercise can also increase immunity to certain illnesses. Physical activity may help flush bacteria out of the lungs and airways. This may reduce your chance of getting a cold, flu, or other illness. We also know that exercise causes antibodies and white blood cells (WBCs) to circulate throughout the body more rapidly. WBCs are the body’s immune system cells, so it is very important for them to function properly and detect diseases as soon as possible, before they begin to spread.
As we know, bacteria is a normal part of our body. It’s in our gut, our vaginas, and in our mouths just to name a few places, and this is all well and good to keep the body functioning the best that it can. However, if this normal bacteria starts proliferating and too much of it are present in the body, diseases and infections can ensue. The natural rise in body temperature during and right after exercise may prevent bacteria from growing inside the body. This may help the body fight infections better and maintain bacterial equilibrium in our bodies.
Many research over the years, which has been heavily shared during the COVID-19 pandemic, has shown that increased stress may lead to a higher chance of illness. The primary stress hormone in our bodies is cortisol. It is released from the adrenal glands, increases glucose in the bloodstream, and ultimately increases the availability of substances that repair tissues. It is beneficial in times of need, like if you are running away from a bear. But in everyday situations, cortisol levels should not be increased because it can alter immune system responses, suppress the digestive system, reproductive system, and growth processes. Long-term activation of stress hormones place detrimental results on the body, such as increased risk of anxiety, depression, digestive issues, heart disease, sleep problems and weight gain, and so much more. There are many ways to manage stress levels and exercise is one of them. Regular exercise, such as daily yoga practice, slows down the release of stress hormones and may protect against illnesses.
Now, these are all very specific examples and research studies, but the overall takeaway is that any type of exercise you choose to do is going to be beneficial. Whether it’s a stroll around the block, a pilates class, or a HIIT session, as long as you’re staying safe and having fun, your body is going to thank you for keeping it moving!