Newsflash: exercise is good for you

Newsflash: exercise is good for you

In 2017, the British Heart Foundation reported more than 20 million people in the UK are physically inactive. 20 million people. Of these, women are 36 percent more likely than men to be classified as physically inactive.

As the lives of women in the 21st century become busier by the day, it becomes harder to fit anything else into an already incredibly tight schedule. Seeing family and friends, a demanding and usually time-grabbing career, buying a house, looking after a pet, bringing up children and everything else on top, bottom and in between.

When exercise isn’t written into this schedule, it can be a hard task to start incorporating it. As the days get shorter with darker mornings and evenings, delaying being back in a cosy home for any longer is tricky—I feel you, and I feel it myself often.

From today however, we need to start finding the time to exercise. It doesn’t need to be an hour of tedious running on the treadmill, it can be in several different ways to suit you—and your schedule!

Exercise should not be just for those who want to change their body—this is all exterior. Exercise’s main purpose should be working the interior: your heart and your brain.

Have you ever convinced yourself that those 30 minutes might not be worth it? I know I have. So, what actually goes on in there?

Your heart will begin by pumping more blood to your muscles. Appreciate the out of breath feeling—your heart is doing its job, which in turn is linked to the reduction in heart disease.

Then come the endorphins. Yes, exercise releases a chemical to boost your mood—you are now exercising your brain. To compliment these wonderful chemicals, your heart rate continues to increase blood flow to the brain, linked to improved brain function—especially memory.

With the increased blood and oxygen to the brain, you will now feel more alert and active. This is something to remember for those days when you feel too tired to go to the gym— you are likely to feel much better after you do. This will keep you going through the rest of the day too.

Is there a catch? Nope. You feel alert now, but studies have shown a 65 percent higher quality of sleep, so when you lay your head on that pillow all will seem worth it.

So, in this half an hour you have supported your heart, your memory, your mood, your sleep, even your bones and joints by keeping them mobile—all while burning calories at the same time.

As well as your vital organs, exercise of course changes your body shape, but it can also increase your body’s production of natural antioxidants and stimulate blood flow to your skin cells which can help delay the appearance of skin ageing.

There is so much emphasis in the media on weight loss, which is a key part of health and well-being, but shouldn’t we really be promoting the wider benefits of exercise to allow everyone to relate and understand the exact purpose of physical activity? There’s more to it than just getting into shape.

Your body is your most priceless possession. Take care of it.