Benefits of Physical Exercise

---

As the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes, regular physical activity is one of the best things you can do for your health. A variety of physical activities not only improves your circulation, gets your heart rate up, and boosts your mood (especially after), it can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do other everyday activities.

Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits. Only a few lifestyle choices have as large an impact on your health as physical activity.

Everyone can experience the health benefits of physical activity – age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size do not matter. 

Immediate benefits of physical exercise include:

• Brain Health: stimulates your thoughts and boosts creativity
• Healthier Blood Pressure
• Better Sleep
• Reduced Anxiety

For kids, there are additional benefits:

• Helps regular blood sugar levels
• Improves attention and memory, often leading to better academic performance
• Strengthens bones
• Improves fitness levels and athletic ability
• Sets them up for better health in adulthood

Long-term benefits of regular physical exercise include:

• Brain Health: physical exercise reduces risks of dementia and Alzheimer's Disease while often reducing depression.
• Heart Health: physical exercise gets your heart pumping and keeps it healthier for circulation. It has been shown to reduce chances for heart disease, strokes, and development of Type 2 Diabetes.
• Cancer Prevention: physical exercise - even moderate activity - has been to reduce the risk of developing numerous types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, endometrium, esophageal, kidney, lung, and stomach. And if such cancers develop, being healthy from physical activity better equips you to fight these cancers - and more naturally, too. 
• Healthy Weight: regular physical activity helps prevent weight gain and allows you to maintain a healthy weight for your body type. It's also essential for any goal to lose weight.
• Bone Strength: physical exercise helps keep your bones strong, reducing the risk for osteoporosis,
• Better Balance and Coordination: physical exercise affords your body the ability to coordinate and strengthen muscle activity, improving balance and coordination for not only exercise, but any activities in life.

United Health Care (UHC) offers this search engine to help you find a place near you to work out and find your fitness. Simply enter your zip code and a radius; the engine will do the rest!

SEARCH NOW