Exercise improves the health of your heart and cardiovascular system. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that "inactivity is one of the major risk factors for heart disease." Regular exercise is one of the most proactive steps you can take to reduce your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. When you think of muscles in the body, your first image might not be of the heart. However, the heart is a muscle -- the most important muscle for circulating blood and oxygen through your body. When you don't exercise, the heart is forced to work harder. It takes more of a strain to pump blood throughout the body, and fatty deposits can clog your arteries, forcing your blood pressure to skyrocket. The more you exercise, the stronger your heart muscle becomes.
Maintaining a healthy body weight is one of the most important reasons for exercising. Mayo Clinic suggests that exercise and simply staying active can prevent excess weight gain and help you lose weight faster. The secret to exercise and weight loss is metabolism. When you overindulge in food, your body puts on more calories than it can process. Exercise speeds up metabolism and puts your body to work burning away those excess calories. Exercise also stimulates your body's production of cholesterol-fighting enzymes. Regular exercise helps to keep a higher metabolic rate, so energy is processed faster and fat doesn't accumulate on your body.
Physical activity is not just for the muscles and bones. One important reason to exercise is to improve your mental health and mood. Regular exercise has the power to reduce stress levels, calm anxiety and boost self-confidence. A 2011 article in "Psychology Today" cited regular exercise as having the ability to combat panic attacks and boost the effects of other mental health therapies for anxiety-related illnesses. Exercise has such a beneficial effect on the mind and mood because exercise releases endorphins in the brain. These chemicals are responsible for our feelings of joy and satisfaction. By stimulating the release of chemical mood boosters such as endorphins and serotonin, exercise can be just as effective as some prescription medications.
Although exercise gives the body a boost of energy, it might help you fall asleep and stay asleep longer, according to the Mayo Clinic. A vigorous workout will raise your body's temperature by a few degrees. A few hours after exercising, the core temperature lowers again and signals your body that it's time for sleep. In order to sleep longer and feel more refreshed in the morning, try working out several hours before bedtime.
