There are many benefits to staying active and getting regular exercise. One of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing is to prioritize getting some type of exercise every day.
Need a reason to exercise?
Being active is an important part of staying healthy at any age. It gets your heart pumping and your heart rate up, burns calories, may help you sleep better, and can strengthen your muscles and bones. Everyone throughout the lifecycle should engage in getting regular exercise and staying active. To prevent injury, warm up and stretch before you start. Then, cool down and stretch again at the end of your exercise routine. For more information click here: https://extension.psu.edu/warm-up-and-cool-down Make sure you have a good, supportive pair of shoes too. Don’t forget hydration! With temperatures on the rise, drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your workout to keep your body properly hydrated. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FY070
Always talk to your health care team before starting to exercise, as they can suggest exercises that are best for your medical and/or physical condition and needs. Your healthcare provider may want you to have a physical exam before starting a new exercise program.
Five Reasons to Exercise
- Physical activity can reduce the risk for many health conditions and improve overall health. Regular physical activity can help you control your body weight, blood glucose levels, and decrease your risk of heart disease. Many people who are sedentary are overweight or obese. Obesity and its related illnesses are the leading causes of death in the U.S. and worldwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). Obesity is often treatable and preventable when addressed with proper diet and nutritional intake, calorie control and regular exercise, which can help you manage your weight and live a healthy lifestyle.
- Staying active can help you sleep better. Being physically active requires you to expend energy, and helps you feel more tired and ready to rest at the end of a busy day. Research indicates that regular exercise, that is part of a consistent routine, may help boost sleep duration, in addition to sleep quality. Click here to see how much sleep you need: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html Try to exercise at the same time every day and stick to your routine.
- During uncertain times, exercise may help control stress. Physical activity has been linked to reduced risk of anxiety and depression. It can also keep your learning, judgment and thinking skills sharp as you age and reduce the risk of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease) according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
- Exercise can keep muscles and bones strong, which may help to maintain independent living as we age. Stronger bones and muscles can improve your ability to do daily living activities and help to prevent slips and falls (for older adults) and unfortunate injuries from falls. Engaging in exercise can improve your posture and balance.
- Exercise can improve your quality of life and can increase the chances of living longer. This is a great health benefit associated with physical activity. We should all strive to achieve and maintain high levels of fitness, positivity, and wellness.
It is not always easy to start and/or maintain an exercise routine, but once you find activities you enjoy, you will see that staying active is not as difficult as you think! Once exercise becomes part of your daily activities, it becomes a beneficial and a worthwhile habit for a lifetime.
There are more than these five reasons to exercise. Find one that motivates you and start moving today and reap the benefits.
Make exercise a priority!
Read more. Learn more.
UF/IFAS Extension, Healthy Living; Exercise and Diabetes https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FY669
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC). Diabetes Diet, Eating, & Physical Activity https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity
Exercise and Diabetes- https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/browardco/2022/04/06/physical-activity-and-diabetes/
MyPlate- https://www.myplate.gov/
Benefits of Physical Activity- https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/pa-health/index.htm
Human Performance Resources by CHAMP. Power Plate: Eat to Fuel Your Performance. https://www.hprc-online.org/nutrition/performance-nutrition/power-plate-eat-fuel-your-performance
Real life benefits of exercise and physical activity – https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/real-life-benefits-exercise-and-physical-activity
Can exercise extend your life?- https://bit.ly/3n864aN
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