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2006/04/18, 10:35 AM
Most of the time, exercise conjures up images of losing weight and building muscle. But the benefits of exercise extend far beyond just the visible changes that happen to your body.
Exercise can benefit you in a number of ways you might not even have thought about. From slowing the aging process to getting a better night´s sleep, regular, moderate exercise can be considered an all around cheap, non-invasive, and preventative treatment for several physical conditions.
Prevents Wrinkles and Acne
From reducing acne breakouts to fighting the signs of aging, health experts say regular exercise can play a substantial role in how young and healthy your skin looks and feels. Exercise increases circulation and delivery of nutrients to skin cells and carries away potentially damaging toxins. Being active also influences the natural production of collagen, the connective tissue that plumps your skin and keeps your face looking young and fresh.
Perhaps the most dramatic effects of exercise are on acne-prone skin. Acne can be caused by an overabundance of testosterone-related hormones such as DHEA and DHT. Stress can cause your adrenal glands to produce too much of these hormones, which can lead to acne flare-ups. Since many studies have shown that exercise reduces stress levels, it can therefore also reduce acne flare-ups.
Alleviates Mild Depression and Anxiety
Exercise can be as effective as psychotherapy in treating mild to moderate depression. Studies show that aerobic exercise has an anti-depressive effect on patients with mild to moderate depression. It also decreases anger, fatigue, and confusion.
Exercise, particularly intense, high-endurance sports such as running, cycling and swimming, exert intensive stress on our bodies. In response to this stress our bodies produce substances called endorphins. Endorphins are hormones secreted by the pituitary gland in response to physical stress. These hormones are known to block pain, decrease appetite, decrease anxiety and induce feelings of euphoria.
Prevents Osteoporosis
Exercise increases circulation and the flow of nutrients to the bones, reducing the risk of fractures and osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises are of particular benefit to bones because when muscles pull on bones, the bones become denser and stronger. These types of exercises include weight-lifting, jogging, hiking, stair-climbing, step aerobics, dancing, racquet sports, and other activities that require your muscles to work against gravity. Swimming and walking, although good for cardiovascular fitness, are not the best exercises for building bone.
The more bone mass you build before age 25 or 30, the better off you will be during the years of gradual bone loss. Exercise can also help maintain bone density later in life.
Increases Pain Tolerance
By increasing the level of endorphins, the body's natural pain killers, exercise can help alleviate pain, such as PMS symptoms and menstrual cramps. The deep breathing during exercise brings more oxygen to the blood, which relaxes the uterus.
Body weight may be related to pain tolerance. One study indicated that women who are more than 30% above the ideal weight for their age experience pain more quickly and more intensely than do women of ideal weight. No research has investigated the effect of weight loss on pain tolerance.
Many types of chronic pain are helped by exercise, though some types of physical activity may aggravate certain painful conditions. People who want to initiate an exercise program for increasing pain tolerance should first consult a qualified health professional.
Strengthens Your Immune System
Exercise helps your immune system fight off simple bacterial and viral infections. This happens because during moderate exercise, the immune system gets a temporary boost in the production of macrophages, the cells that attack bacteria.
There are several other theories on how exercise boosts your immune system, however the key is to keep your exercise at a moderate intensity. Exercise that is too intense seems to cause a temporary decrease in immune system functionality. Research has found that during intense physical exertion, the body produces cortisol and adrenaline, known as the stress hormones. These hormones raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels and suppress the immune system. So if you are training for ultra-endurance events such as a marathon or the iron man, make sure you include enough rest and recovery to allow your immune system to recover.
Improves Sleep
More and more studies are showing that moderate exercise can improve your quality of sleep. People who exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly than those that don´t.
On the extreme end of the exercise spectrum, evidence suggests that overtraining interferes with sleep. The physical and psychological stresses of training beyond your individual threshold may stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to irritability and reducing the quality and quantity of sleep. In fact, a change in sleep habits is an early warning sign of overtraining.
Avoid exercising at least four hours before bedtime. Regular exercise is recommended to help you sleep well, but the timing of the workout is important. Exercising in the morning or early afternoon will not interfere with sleep.
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work out and feel better
At this point we don't know all the how´s and why´s as to the benefits of exercise, but we do know that exercise helps. It decreases our chances of developing heart disease and osteoporosis and may help us avoid those nagging coughs and colds.
Exercise can help us feel better about ourselves, just by giving us more energy. So go for a run and lift those weights - you'll feel better for it.
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