Despite what you may have heard, being physically fit and healthy isn’t necessarily the same thing. Health refers to a person’s overall physical well-being, including mental and social aspects. It includes aging well, longevity, quality of life, and the ability to enjoy freedom from pain or discomfort.
Fitness involves many different attributes, from endurance and stamina to strength, flexibility and balance. It also involves learning the right exercises and nutrition to help keep you in shape.
A sedentary lifestyle, or lack of activity, can cause many health problems. It can also affect your mood and sleep.
People who aren’t active have a higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, depression and some cancers. Even if you already have health conditions, exercise can improve those symptoms.
Your doctor will likely recommend a regular exercise routine to help you stay healthy. You can start with a simple routine and gradually build up to the recommended amount of physical activity.
You should try to be active at least 30 minutes per day on most, if not all days. You can do this by walking, riding a bike, swimming or jogging. Exercising in shorter but more frequent sessions is also helpful because it breaks up the work and increases your aerobic benefits.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that people who are physically active have a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancer. It also lowers the risk of depression and obesity, and increases energy levels and self-esteem.
If you don’t have any health problems, but would like to be more physically active, start with a low-impact exercise routine that you can do at home, such as brisk walking. Once you get comfortable with the exercise, you can add more challenging workouts.
It can be difficult to find time to exercise regularly, especially if you work a full-time job or have children. If this is the case, break up your workouts and schedule them throughout your day. Ideally, you should do at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise on most or all days of the week.
You can also find fitness classes that you can attend at your local community center or gym. These classes are inexpensive and provide a safe place to learn new exercises.
Your body is constantly changing, so it’s important to keep your exercise program up-to-date. You should change it up every few weeks to maximize the benefits. You can include a variety of different activities in your exercise routine, such as yoga, dance or aerobics.
Exercise Boosts Smarts
Some exercise programs are designed to boost brainpower and intelligence by increasing the release of serotonin, endorphins and other chemicals in the brain. These hormones have positive effects on your emotions, sleep and memory.
It is also helpful to keep an eye on your weight and other factors that can impact your physical performance, such as your diet and alcohol consumption. This can help you to stay on track with your goals and achieve the best results possible.