Cycling. Running, Dancing, Hiking, Kickboxing. The options are endless to improve your overall quality of life regarding cardiovascular exercise. Learn more about what cardio workouts can do for you.
When part of a general heart-healthy lifestyle, regular cardio exercise can increase resting blood pressure and heart rate. Health authorities recommend achieving at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity heart-pumping exercise or 75 minutes of intense exercise.
Try to get a 30-minute workout five or more days a week to increase your heart rate throughout the activity. Short workouts, five or more days a week, will do it.
Brain and joints
Cardio training can benefit the brain and joint health. Physical activity reduces the risk of dementia, no matter what age you are. Other benefits include:
- Cardio increases blood flow and reduces the chances of stroke.
- Improves your memory and thinking ability.
- Fights decline in brain function with age.
- Cardio protects against the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
- It fights osteoporosis and reduces the chances of hip fractures.
- It helps deal with arthritis discomfort and maintains the joint’s range of motion.
Skin, muscles, and weight
No matter how you choose to move, it helps to increase circulation, leading to healthier skin. Other health benefits can also go much deeper than just your skin.
When you are physically active, it increases the oxygen supply and allows the muscles to work harder. Over time, regular cardio training allows the muscles to adapt to increased workload, making everyday activities seem more manageable.
When combined with a heart-healthy nutrition plan, safe weight loss comes with regular cardio. By doing cardio, you are less likely to develop diseases such as diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease, and your body can circulate blood more efficiently. More physical activity also helps you maintain a healthy weight by burning more calories during the day.
Pancreas, lungs, and blood function
Your pancreas helps convert the food you eat into energy while also helping with digestion. Staying active helps improve blood sugar control, reduces stress on this vital organ, and reduces the chance of developing type 2 diabetes. Cardio also helps to improve cholesterol levels while lowering blood fats.
Your lungs are also positively affected by physical activity. Cardio can help reduce the frequency with which you need to breathe as your ability to exercise improves and can lead to a reduction in fatigue and shortness of breath in chronic lung problems.
Mood
Our mood swings daily, but staying active helps boost our mood. Not only that, but it fights depression, improves your self-esteem, and releases stress-relieving hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
Sleep and energy
There is a reason why you feel great after a workout. Physical exercise releases endorphins and gives you more lasting energy throughout the day. When it comes to sleep, struggling to fall asleep is the last thing you want after a long, busy day. Cardio helps you sleep faster and promotes REM sleep.
Be sure to avoid strenuous exercise too close to the bed. Otherwise, you will be too energetic to count sheep.
Grab your workout clothes and put on your sneakers. You will not only strengthen your immune system – help you avoid colds or flu – but by improving your cardiorespiratory condition, and you can increase your life span.
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