The best holiday gift is the gift of health that you give to yourself.
A consistent finding in medical research is that exercise helps you live healthier. Mayo Clinic researchers found that elderly adults who engage in moderate exercise 2-5 times a week have a reduced risk of developing memory loss.
A 20-minute ride on a stationary or regular bike was found to invigorate people who experience fatigue and exhaustion. After six weeks of bike riding three times a week, these people no longer felt tired, as they had prior to their exercise program.
A study of twins showed that the twin who was exercising regularly was biologically up to ten years younger than the sedentary twin.
Walking four miles a week can reduce the chance of developing diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.
A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down after a stressful day. Exercise stimulates various brain chemicals called endorphins, which may leave you in a better mood. Exercise can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety. As women enter the hormone reduction period of menopause, feelings of stress and anxiety can be decreased by daily walking.
Regular exercise boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol while decreasing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol. Body movement keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.
The more intensely you exercise, the more calories you burn and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during television commercials.
Exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues by circulating blood through your heart and blood vessels more efficiently, giving you more energy.
Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you might want to try late afternoon workouts. The natural dip in body temperature five to six hours after you exercise might help you fall asleep.
Exercise improves your circulation, which can lead to more satisfying sex. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don’t exercise, especially as they get older.
Find a fun way for exercise to improve your life and start reaping the benefits of physical activity today.