Countless studies have shown that people who exercise live longer, have healthier bodies, and are in a more positive psychological state than those who don’t. The most beneficial of daily exercise has been the main focus for many individuals who take on/up a daily physical exercise program. Exercise may offer considerable potential alone or as an adjunct in improving the mental well-being of many people. As we all know that physical exercise has proven beneficial to cardiovascular health, improving cholesterol levels, decreasing the chances of contracting colds and flu, as well as lowering high blood pressure. Also, regular exercise carries insignificant harmful side effects. Although these factors alone are enough reasons for a lifelong
There are many benefits of exercise on the human body, not only physical, but mental. Research has proved that exercise can benefit your mental health and your ability to learn. Exercise has many positive effects on patients suffering from a mental health disorder, such as depression or anxiety. Exercise releases chemicals in the brain called serotonin, which is a mood booster. The chemical can combat depression and help alleviate some of the symptoms that come with it. Exercise is shown to alleviate 25 different medical conditions, whether through secondary or direct benefits, such as Alzheimer’s. People who exercise are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than ones who don’t because exercise releases chemicals in the brain that support the healthy growth of neurons. Exercise can also serve as a mental “buffer” against problems such as stress, which prevents further problems like depression. This creates a mental resistance to outside forces, which aid in day to day life. Exercise can also help in education. Studies show that schools with academic programs that lack physical education perform worse than ones that have a more robust system. Majority of research indicates that replacing some academic periods with physical education results in higher academic achievement for students and improved concentration and focus. Exercise is shown to increase circulation and blood flow to the brain which increases cognitive function and the efficiency of the brain, having a profound impact on the human body and its ability to function efficiently. Exercise also engages the prefrontal cortex and stimulates it, which is responsible for complex thought and problem solving. This is proven to increase creativity, concentration and test scores. Stu...
The best known result of lack of physical activity and exercise is overweight and obesity. According to James McKinney, studies have discovered that having an active life and exercising at least 150 minutes per week, alternatively, 15 minutes a day, not only can help avoid obesity, but also improve health reducing the chances of developing a chronic disease (McKinney. 132,133). He also states that, “High levels of physical activity and cardio respiratory fitness are associated with lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality”. Furthermore, “more physical activity can reduce the development of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke and cancer.” (McKinney,134). In addition, having an active life can reduce the chances of getting cancer by 45% (McKinney,134), and also, reduces the symptoms of depression by 30%
Exercise is a vital component of life. Exercise can contribute to a healthier mental and physical lifestyle. The human body is meant to stay in motion, regardless of whether the motion comes from vigorous exercise or simply walking around a shopping mall. Regular exercise can reduce the risk several disorders and disease; including heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes. In addition, it can help improve an individual's appearance and delay the aging process. Exercise reduces stress, lifts moods, and improves sleeping behaviors. It is an easy and effective way to live a healthier life, yet the concept is continually ignored.
Exercise can act as a very efficient way to help prevent age-related diseases. Bradley says that many recent studies focusing on the correlation between physical activity and mental health, clinical evidence have shown that exercise can have a positive effect on the outcome of treating mental illness, such as Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and Parkinson’s disease (Bradley). Physical Therapy improves the patient's’ quality of life and lessens the pain of the disease itself. “Some authors state that the influence of exercise on brain functioning might be related to the human evolutionary process, since physical activity is associated with survival. It has been suggested that individuals who exercise might show a biological advantage over sedentary individuals”(Bradley). So considering that exercise is very much related to improving the mental health of the elderly, we should consider adding physical therapy into the everyday life schedule of residents in nursing homes, where they will have the one-on-one contact and encouragement they
The lack of exercise is one of the most health-related issues in today’s society. Many individuals fail to realize how important exercising is to life. The human body is meant to stay in motion, if we do not exercise daily we are easily prone to different diseases and health issues over time. Exercising daily can help reduce health conditions and diseases, improve brain functions, reduce stress and mood, improve your sleep, and strengthen your bones and muscles.
It is no secret that staying physically active is a great way to maintain a balanced lifestyle, stay healthy, and stay happy. But why is this so? According to Harvard University’s Health Blog, exercise directly changes brain structure, enlarging both the prefrontal cortex and the medial temporal cortex, improving memory, learning, as well as critical thinking skills (Godman). These effects, combined with the release of endorphins, improve your mood by jump-starting several biological processes, thus reducing stress and relieving anxiety. There are numerous positive benefits of aerobic exercise on the brain, from a chemical standpoint, a biological standpoint as well as from a psychological one.
Health monitoring allows you to discover and treat health problems early, before consequences. Many psychological disorders, cancers, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary diseases, and musculoskeletal disorders can be prevented by monitoring health and incorporating physical activity and exercise; for example: depression, breast cancer, obesity, cardiomyopathy, emphysema, and osteoarthritis. There are primary benefits that can be received from engaging in exercise or physical activity. One of the main benefits is reducing the risk of premature death: “it is been estimated that people who were physically active for approximately 7 hours a week have a 30 to 40% lower risk of dying early than those who are active less than 30 minutes per week” (Kohl & Murray 2012). It's clear that research has found the importance of avoiding inactivity and that even a little physical activity is better than none at all; due to dose response relation between poor health and the amount of physical activity.
Notably, physical inactivity has been identified as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality, resulting in 6% of deaths globally (http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/pa/en/: last accessed on 30 April 2016). Characteristically, public health practice addresses the physical activity and exercise in a broader sense, focusing on the communities, populations and settings. On the other hand, due to the advancement in healthcare technologies, Clinical Exercise Science has made it possible to incorporate physical activity and various exercise modalities into healthcare practice in a way that a response at organism (e.g., humans, animals), organ system (e.g., musculoskeletal system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system), organ (e.g., heart, skeletal muscles, bones), and cellular (e.g., immune system cells, red blood cells) level can be examined, both in healthy people and patients with acute or chronic clinical conditions and disabilities. However, body of scientific evidence generated through the research in Clinical Exercise Science has its implications not only in clinical practice, but also in public health practice. This is one of the main reasons why I would like to join the Clinical Research Science Ph.D. program at the Potsdam
According to the CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults should do at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes week of intense aerobic activity. Everyone should try to do at least the recommended amount of weekly exercise. Not exercising can be detrimental to one’s health. Exercising moderately for at least 150 minutes a week or working out intensely for 75 minutes can add, on average, 3.4 years to one’s lifespan, while people who do not exercise have the highest premature death rate. Being active has both mental and physical benefits, adding exercise to your routine can create a happier, healthier lifestyle. Exercise, no matter how strenuous or simple, is an important activity for all people.