By Terrie Johnson | UAB Community Health & Human Services Intern

Regular exercising is a crucial component of a healthy lifestyle since it improves physical and mental health, reducing the risk of chronic diseases and affecting overall well-being. Aside from weight loss and muscle building, exercise has several benefits that improve life quality. This blog post focuses on the impacts of regular physical activity on physical and mental health that can enhance the quality of life.

Physical activity and regular exercises have numerous benefits for physical health beyond muscle building and weight loss. In particular, regular exercising reduces the risk of chronic diseases and conditions, including high blood pressure, heart-related issues, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and breathing problems (Marques et al., 2018). Exercising also improves movement coordination and strengthens muscles and bones, reducing the chance of physical injury. Moreover, physical activity enhances the immune system, making people less susceptible to infections and diseases. Physical activity is a crucial aspect of a healthy lifestyle due to its positive impact on physical health.

Aside from positively impacting physical health, exercising enhances lifestyle by improving mental health. Regular exercise efficiently reduces anxiety and depression symptoms by stimulating the synthesis of endorphins, chemicals associated with happiness (Wang et al., 2021). Moreover, regular physical activity improves productivity during the daytime and sleep quality at night. Another benefit of exercising is that it can distract a person from everyday stressors, letting them clear their mind. Furthermore, group physical activity can enhance social connections, help find new friends, or help spend more time with family. These advantages of regular exercise can help a person improve and maintain their mental health.

Regular exercise is a powerful tool that can significantly impact a person’s health and overall well-being. The benefits of physical activity for physical and mental health cannot be overstated so that it can improve life quality. By making exercise a daily routine, a person can boost their energy levels, reduce stress, mitigate the risk of chronic diseases, and even enhance social connections. Why not start regularly exercising today?

References

Marques, A., Peralta, M., Gouveia, E.R., Martins, J., Sarmento, H., & Gomez-Baya, D. (2018). The Association between Physical Activity and Chronic Diseases in European Adults. European Journal of Sport Science 20:9, 1268-1276. DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2017.1400109

Wang, L., Sun, Y., Zhan, J., Wu, Z., Zhang, P., Wen, X., Ge, S., Han, X., & Lu, L. (2021). Effects of Exercise Therapy on Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Study. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, 8:730155. DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2021.730155