Exercise Can Improve Your Life: Various forms of exercise, such as cardio and weight lifting, are one of the best ways to burn calories while improving your overall physique. There are many benefits to exercise that are more than skin-deep. Keep reading this guide from Vitaliboost to discover five unexpected ways that exercise can improve your life. 

Exercise To Keep Your Heart Healthy

Exercise can improve heart health by lowering your blood pressure — which is how much force your heart uses to pump blood. If you have high blood pressure, then your heart places a large amount of force against your arteries. This isn’t necessarily a problem in and of itself. However, over time, this can cause your artery walls to harden, leading to various cardiovascular problems. Exercise can lower blood pressure.

Cardio is likely the best form of exercise to achieve this and could be anything that increases the heart rate while using large muscle groups. Jogging, swimming, and cycling are all great exercises that get the heart pumping. So, how does cardio lower blood pressure? By increasing how much blood your heart can pump. The more cardio you do, the easier it will be for your heart to pump blood throughout the body, which puts less pressure on the arteries. Over time, this should lead to a stronger and healthier heart. 

Exercise Can Increase Your Testosterone Levels

Testosterone is a sex hormones that’s found in both men and women. In men, testosterone is responsible for many sought-after changes, such as increased sperm production, larger muscles, and higher sex drive. In both men and women, higher levels of testosterone can lead to increased energy, better fat distribution, and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. You can increase testosterone levels with hormone replacement therapy. However, this comes with its fair share of side effects. A drug-free approach includes taking testosterone-boosting supplements and doing certain types of physical exercise. Studies show that men who begin lifting weights experience a significant increase in testosterone. Women experience a similar change in response to weight lifting — although to a smaller extent. In addition, any type of exercise is associated with an increase in testosterone production. 

Exercise Can Improve Your Sleep

One of the main ways exercise can improve your sleep is lowering stress levels. Stress is one of the most common reasons people experience sleep problems and can cause anything from one poor night of sleep to chronic insomnia. While we often associate exercises such as yoga with stress relief, any type of exercise can help to lower stress. Lifting weights, running on the treadmill, or going for a walk outside can all make it easier to fall asleep, spend more time in “deep sleep,” and have more energy upon waking up in the morning. 

Food and Exercise for Mental Health

Exercise releases feel-good brain chemicals, like serotonin (which plays a major role in mood), brain-derived neurotrophic factor — or BDNF — (which helps with growing new brain cells), and endorphins (which give you that “runner’s high” feeling). Exercise is so effective in improving mood that doctors are choosing to “prescribe” it instead of antidepressants for treating patients with depression and anxiety. Plus, those who are chronically stressed-out (which we know has disastrous effects on health) can see a significant improvement after just one exercise session. Last, completing an entire sweat session (whatever that may look like for you) can make you feel seriously accomplished. This can boost your self-esteem and self-confidence, which can even translate to other areas of your life. 

Exercise Can Increase Brain Function

We all use our brains on a daily basis. So, it’s only natural to want it to be in its peak shape every day. Aside from eating a healthy diet and consuming the right supplements, exercise is an excellent way to get there. Numerous studies show a correlation between how much a person exercises and various markers of brain health. For instance, one study found starting an exercise program can literally grow an area of the brain responsible for memory (called the hippocampus). Other brain benefits of exercise include improved concentration, growth of new brain cells, and reduced risk for neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia. As for the best part? These changes can occur with any type of exercise that you enjoy doing. 

Using Exercise To Improve Your Life

Exercise has benefits that go way beyond improving your appearance. Regular exercise can balance your hormones, improve your sleep, put you in a better mood, and boost your brain health. Make sure to include daily physical activity into your routine to experience the many benefits of exercise. And if you need some added help in your wellness journey, then Vitaliboost has got your back.