14 healthy reasons to be on the move

Invigorated

The muscles that help your lungs move in and out as you breathe lose strength if you don’t work them out regularly. This is just like how your biceps flops if you don’t use them. In other words, the less activity you do, the more breathless you get, even during easy daily tasks.

Easy bowel movement

When you move more, your colon moves more. Hence it becomes easier to poop on time. Besides, healthy muscle tone in your abs and diaphragm is also important to move waste through your digestive tract. So regular exercise can help you stay consistent, especially as you age.

Flexible joints

Rigid, achy, stiff joints can sometimes be a sign of inflammatory conditions like arthritis or an autoimmune disease. Then again joints can also stiffen when you don’t use them as you should. Therefore put your joints to work gently so they don’t become rigid and cause you pain.

Active metabolism

If you move more, chances are there that your metabolism will rev up. This is because people with a “fast” metabolism may just tend to move more, even if that movement is just playing around. The more active you are, the more calories you burn each time you move.

Restful sleep

If you’re tired of watching the ceiling at night, get up and get moving during the day. The fact is that when you keep a regular exercise routine, you fall asleep faster. And you sleep deeper once you drift off.

Feel good mood

Your physical health can suffer from a lack of movement. It can also increase feelings of anxiety and depression. Therefore, try and get your blood pumping regularly. For instance, cardio exercises like walking, biking, swimming, or running, will boost and steady your sullen mood, and even improve your self-esteem.

Energetic

Do you feel sluggish and tired most of the time? Exercise helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. Hence if you spend most of your time sitting, this will not get you the same amount of fuel your tissues need to keep you going.

Improved memory

Have you been forgetful lately? An inclusion of a regular dose of exercise will trigger your body to make more chemicals called growth factors. They boost blood vessel production in your brain. As such, the more blood that gets to your brain, the better you can think, remember, and make decisions.

Optimal blood pressure

Spending most of your time sitting raises your risk of heart disease. That’s partly because you’re more likely to have high blood pressure, a big risk factor for heart issues like coronary artery disease and heart attack.

Stable blood sugar level

When physical activity is a regular part of your life, your body has an easier time keeping your blood glucose under control. Stable blood sugar levels keep you out of the type 2 diabetes danger zone.

Stronger back

Your core muscles tend to get weaker from lack of use, and can’t support your back the way they should. Therefore making it much easier to tweak your back muscles during everyday movements like bending, standing, or reaching. Thus, say bye to back pain through Pilates, yoga, and other exercises that use stretching for building a stronger back.

Fuller stomach

If you exercise you feel fuller and less likely to snack indiscriminately. So the notion that you eat more after exercise is not true.  For instance, aerobic exercise like biking, swimming, walking, and running can decrease your appetite because it changes the levels of certain “hunger hormones” in your body.

Vibrant skin

A lack of movement may be the reason for duller than usual skin. Some studies show that moderate exercise boosts your circulation and your immune system, which helps your skin keep that youthful and vibrant glow.

Wellbeing

Last but certainly not the least of the 14 healthy reasons to be on the move is wellbeing. When you make exercise a habit, your immune system gets stronger and gives you a general sense of well-being. Likewise, studies have shown that the more moderate activity you get, the lower your chance of catching cold or other germs.

Photo Credit: Creative Commons