Benefits of physical activity

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The benefits of physical activity range widely. Most types of physical activity improve health and well-being.

People often use the terms "physical activity" and "

For health benefits, 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week is recommended for reducing the risk of health issues.[4]^[5][6] At the same time, even doing a small amount of exercise is healthier than doing none. Already doing an hour and a quarter (11 minutes/day) of exercise could reduce the risk of early death, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.^[7][8]

Immediate benefits

Some of the benefits of physical activity on brain health happen right after a session of moderate to vigorous physical activity. Benefits include: improved thinking or

Obesity is a complex disease that affects whole-body metabolism and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and Type 2 diabetes (T2D). Physical exercise results in numerous health benefits and is an important tool to combat obesity and its co-morbidities, including cardiovascular diseases. Exercise prevents both the onset and development of cardiovascular disease and is an important therapeutic tool to improve outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease. Some benefits of exercise include enhanced mitochondrial function, restoration and improvement of vasculature, and the release of myokines from skeletal muscle that preserve or augment cardiovascular function. In this review, we will discuss the mechanisms through which exercise promotes cardiovascular health. Regular physical exercise has several beneficial effects on overall health. While decreasing body mass and adiposity are not the primary outcomes of exercise, exercise can mediate several diseases that accompany obesity, including T2D and CVD. Several recent studies have shown that sustained physical activity is associated with decreased markers of inflammation, improved metabolic health, decreased risk of heart failure, and improved overall survival.^[13][14][15] There are several risk factors leading to the development and progression of CVD, but one of the most prominent is a sedentary lifestyle. A sedentary lifestyle can be characterized by both obesity and consistently low levels of physical activity. Thus, lifestyle interventions that aim to increase physical activity and decrease obesity are attractive therapeutic methods to combat most non-congenital types of CVD.^[16]

Effect on cardiovascular risk factors

Regular physical exercise is associated with numerous health benefits to reduce the progression and development of diseases. Several randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that lifestyle interventions, including moderate exercise and a healthy diet, improve cardiovascular health in at-risk populations. Individuals with metabolic syndrome who participated in a 4-month program of either a diet (caloric restriction) or exercise intervention had reduced adiposity, decreased systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure, and lower total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol lipid profiles compared to the control group. Both the diet and exercise interventions improve these cardiovascular outcomes to a similar extent.^[16]

Several previous studies have investigated the effects of diet and exercise, independently or in combination, on metabolic and cardiovascular health and have determined that diet, exercise, or a combination of diet and exercise induces weight loss, decreases visceral adiposity, lowers plasma triglycerides, plasma glucose, HDL levels, and blood pressure, and improves VO2max. Studies have shown that exercise can improve metabolic and cardiovascular health independent of changes in body weight, including improved glucose homeostasis, endothelial function, blood pressure, and HDL levels. These data indicate exercise, independent of changes in body mass, results in significant improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health. Although a detailed analysis of the vast impact of diet on cardiometabolic health is outside the scope of this review, the importance of diet and exercise in tandem should not be ignored, as many studies have shown that cardiometabolic health is improved to a higher extent in response to a combined diet and exercise programs compared to either intervention alone.^[16]

Exercise has a similar effect on cardiovascular improvements in lean and overweight normoglycemic subjects. In a 1-year study of non-obese individuals, a 16–20% increase in energy expenditure (of any form of exercise) with no diet intervention resulted in a 22.3% decrease in body fat mass and reduced LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol/HDL ratio, and C-reactive protein concentrations, all risk factors associated with CVD. In overweight individuals, 7–9 months of low-intensity exercise (walking ~19 km per week at 40–55% VO2peak) significantly increased cardiorespiratory fitness compared to sedentary individuals. Together these data indicate that exercise interventions decrease the risk or severity of CVD in subjects who are lean, obese, or have type 2 diabetes.^[16]

Cardiac rehabilitation

Exercise is also an important

More recent studies have examined the effects of high-intensity exercise on patients with heart failure. A recent study found that 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in heart failure patients (with reduced ejection fraction) was well-tolerated and had similar benefits compared to patients who underwent moderate continuous exercise (MCE) training, including improved left ventricular remodeling and aerobic capacity. A separate study found that 4 weeks of HIIT in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction improved VO2peak and reduced diastolic dysfunction compared to both pre-training values and compared to the MCE group. These studies indicate that both moderate and high-intensity exercise training improve cardiovascular function in heart failure patients, likely related to increased endothelium-dependent vasodilation and improved aerobic capacity.[16]

Other benefits

Bones and muscles

Routine physical activity is important for building strong

The ability to perform daily activities and maintain independence requires strong muscles, balance, and endurance. Regular physical activity or exercise helps to improve and prevent the decline of muscle strength, balance and endurance, all risk factors for falling. Balance plays an important role in everyday activities such as walking, getting up out of a chair or leaning over to pick something up. Balance problems can reduce independence by interfering with activities of daily living. Regular physical activity can improve balance and reduce the risk of falling.[18] Exercising regularly has many benefits for both your physical and mental health. Regular exercise can help improve your cardiovascular health, reduce stress and anxiety, and strengthen your muscles and bones.

It can also help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases, and improve your overall quality of life. Additionally, exercise can boost your energy levels, help you sleep better, and increase your focus and concentration.

Exercise is a great way to socialize, by joining a gym, taking classes, or exercising with friends.

Cancer

Exercise increases the chances of surviving cancer. If one exercises during the early stages of cancer treatment it may allow time to reduce the detrimental side effects of the chemotherapy. It also improves physical functions along with reducing distress and fatigue.^[19] Studies have shown that exercise has the possibility to improve the chemotherapy drug uptake, thanks to the increase in peripheral circulation.^[19] This also makes changes to tumor vasculature from the increase of cardio and blood pressure.

Stroke

Regular physical activity and exercise decrease the risk of

Exercise triggers an increase in body temperature, and the post-exercise drop in temperature may promote falling asleep. Exercise may also reduce insomnia by decreasing arousal, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Insomnia is commonly linked with elevated arousal, anxiety, and depression, and exercise has effects on reducing these symptoms in the general population.[28] These issues count among the most common among most of the population. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year.^[29] A 2010 review suggested that exercise generally improved sleep for most people, and may help with insomnia, but there is insufficient evidence to draw detailed conclusions about the relationship between exercise and sleep.^[30][31] A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that physical activity has little association with sleep in healthy children.^[32] However, there have been several research findings indicating that certain forms of physical activity can improve the quality and duration of sleep.^[33] In fact, a 2019 study at The Federal University of São Paulo concluded that moderate physical activity resulted in an increase in sleep efficiency and duration in adults diagnosed with insomnia.^[34] The duration refers to the hours of sleep a person gets on a nightly basis, while the quality indicates how well or sufficient it was.^[35] Having poor sleep quality can lead to negative short-term consequences like emotional distress and performance deficits. The psychosocial issues associated with these consequences can vary between adults, adolescents, and children. Some of the long-term effects of poor sleep quality can lead to conditions like hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and even weight-related issues.^[36]

References