10 Reasons To Move Your Body On A Daily Basis
We all know that exercising regularly is a healthy habit. But we are still more sedentary than ever, thanks to our modern lifestyle.
If you need a little extra inspiration to move your body regularly, here are 10 reasons to do just that.
10 Reasons To Move Your Body Every Day
Give your metabolism a boost
This is probably everyone's favourite reason to exercise!
Moving your body is not just about the calories you burn as you exercise. Many forms can actually continue to burn through extra energy for hours after your session is done.
A great form of exercise for boosting your metabolism is strength training. Strength training builds muscle tissue, which burns through more energy than other tissues in the body.
And don't worry ladies - we don't have the right balance of sex hormones to get big and bulky!
Support a healthy lymph flow
Lymph is a fluid that helps to remove waste products such as pathogens, toxins, excess fluid and debris from the body. We need a good lymph flow to keep the immune system strong.
Unlike our blood vessels, we don't have an automatic pump to move lymph through the body. It relies on our skeletal muscles to manually pump the fluid through the body instead.
That means the more you exercise, the more lymph flow you have!
Want to know why lymphatics are a key pillar of your health? Give this article a read.
Clear the brain fog
If your brain is feeling foggy and lost, the last thing you want to do is your morning run or yoga session. But moving increases the circulation to your brain - feeding it oxygens and nutrients it needs to function.
Exercise is also beneficial for many underlying causes of brain fog such as flare-ups and digestive disorders. You can learn more about the causes of brain fog right here.
Manage stress levels naturally
Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, constantly busy, or all of the above? Exercise might be just what you need.
Physical activity is a great way to relieve stress, particularly if you're feeling frustrated or angry at a situation. On a biological level, movement boosts up feel-good endorphin levels.
If you are under a lot of stress, or you've been chronically stressed for weeks or months on end, start out gentle. Although intense physical activity might feel great for you, it can add to the stress burden on your body.
Get a good night of sleep
Want to finally get a decent night of rest? What you do during the day is just as important as what you do at night – and that includes exercise.
There are dozens of studies that show that exercise has a positive effect on sleep quality and duration. So not only can it help you sleep longer, it can also help you get to sleep and rest deeply.
However, timing and intensity matter. It’s best to keep your intense workouts for the morning or early evening. If you’re going to exercise within about 3 hours of your bedtime, go for lower intensity exercise.
For example, a swim at the beach, a walk around the block or some yin yoga before bed can set you up for a great rest. But if you’re doing a Crossfit session at 7pm, your body is unlikely to have calmed down in time for a 9pm bedtime!
Struggling to get a solid night of rest? You can find some more sleep tips right here.
Encourage a healthy, happy gut
You know how gut health is all the rage right now? Well, it turns out that exercise might even be a key pillar for your gut health.
When you don't move regularly, you slow down lymphatic flow and digestion, which feeds into gut health. But the good news is that research has found exercise can modify the gut bacteria - improving the number and diversity of good gut bugs.
Get that lovin' feeling
You heard right. Moving your body on a regular basis can help to get your libido back on track.
There are several mechanisms at play here. Firstly, there is a boost to both circulation and lymph flow, making arousal easier to achieve.
Secondly, exercise has been found to balance out many of the sex hormones that are involved in sexual arousal.
There is also the impact of exercise on self-esteem, which can make you feel less self-conscious and more confident in the bedroom.
PS - There are studies that show this benefit goes for both men and women, so why not take your partner along for a workout?
Reduce chronic disease risk
Want one thing you can do every single day to significantly reduce your risk of almost every chronic disease out there? Exercise is your answer.
Research suggests that a lack of physical activity ‘affects almost every cell, organ, and system in the body causing sedentary dysfunction and accelerated death.’
But the good news is that regular exercise can help to prevent at least 35 major chronic diseases, including:
Obesity
Hypertension
Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance and pre-diabetes
Heart disease, stroke and high cholesterol
Depression and anxiety
Several types of cancer
PCOS
Premature death
Even if you already have a chronic condition to manage, moving your body can be helpful. For example, research has found that thyroid patients who add exercise alongside their thyroxine replacement saw greater improvements in serum T3 and T4 levels.
Get a hold on inflammation levels
A quick refresher on inflammation: acute short-term inflammation is healthy and normal. But low-grade chronic inflammation can contribute to all sorts of health concerns. It can increase your risk of countless conditions, and can even lead to flare-ups in autoimmune disease.
So what does the research say about exercise and inflammation?
Exercise does temporarily increase inflammation – which is not a bad thing! But regular exercise also reduces inflammatory markers and increases anti-inflammatory compounds in your body.
So put simply: regular exercise can help you to calm down chronic inflammation.
Downgrade your pain
If you experience any kind of ongoing or intermittent pain, exercise is your new best friend. When you’re sore, going for a walk might be the last thing on your mind. But it could actually be more effective than reaching for the Panadol!
Research has shown that exercise can raise your pain tolerance, reduce perception of pain, and improve quality of life for those who experience chronic pain.
Remember that if you have any serious injury or condition to seek professional advice for the type of exercise that is appropriate for you.
No matter what your reason for regular exercise, it's just one piece of your wellness puzzle.
Diet, sleep, stress and mindset all play crucial roles in how you feel and whether your body is thriving.
If you want to get a handle on your wellbeing, I'm here to help. Click here to book an appointment.