We all know exercise is good for us—not just for our bodies, but for our brains as well. Let’s see what the benefits and risks of exercise are.
Table of Contents
Benefits of Exercise
Heart & Lungs: Improves strength and efficiency
Chronic Conditions:
- Can help prevent or control chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, osteoporotic fractures, and certain cancers by reducing risk factors associated with these conditions.
- It improves blood thinning and reduces the risk of clot formation, thus reducing the risk of getting a stroke.
Life Expectancy: Improved
Brain Health:
- Decreases anxiety and depression
- Improves tolerance to stress
- Improves alertness
Sleep: Improves ability to relax and sleep
Weight loss: Can help with weight loss in conjunction with a healthy diet
Muscles and Bones:
Helps build stronger muscles and bones. These help with maintaining balance, weight loss, controlling and/or preventing type 2 diabetes. Preventing osteoporosis and osteopenia.
In conclusion, regular exercise improves our quality of life, helps us be more independent, helps our bodies and minds to function better and gives us more confidence.
Risks of Exercise
Is that really true, or only an excuse someone puts up for not exercising? Well, truth be told, exercise can be risky business if you’re not careful. Two of the main areas of injuries are:
- Musculoskeletal (bone and muscle) injuries
- Cardiovascular (heart-related) complications
Musculoskeletal injuries
-most common injuries associated with exercise and are influenced by:
- exercise intensity,
- the type of activity,
- pre-existing conditions and
- musculoskeletal abnormalities.
You can reduce the risk of such injuries by:
-making sure to have a warm up before and cool down after exercising, and
-gradually progressing the intensity and amount of exercise.
-Staying active on a regular basis can actually help prevent injury.
Cardiovascular complications
-generally more serious and can include heart attacks and death, generally caused by vigorous intensity exercise.
-Most people with normal cardiovascular health do not have any problems with moderate intensity exercise.
-The risk is generally for sedentary individuals performing vigorous exercise, who have cardiovascular diseases, whether diagnosed or not.
The risk is generally for sedentary individuals performing vigorous exercise, who have cardiovascular diseases, whether diagnosed or not.
You can reduce the risk of such injuries by:
-Getting a clearance for exercise from your doctor if you have any health issues.
-Go through a pre-participation screening to see if you are all clear or need further evaluation.
-In case of performing vigorous exercise, it is advisable to be under the supervision of a certified trainer who has Basic Life Support training.
Check out my post about exercise recommendations.
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“Journey to Health with Priya” provides general educational information on various topics on this website as a public service, which should not be construed as professional medical advice.