30 Benefits of Exercise

Yes, you read that wrong, not one, not two, not three, in this article we are going to talk about 30 benefits of physical activity.

The research is now very clear on this:

Physical activity, like eating, washing, sleeping, going to the toilet, is one of our body’s biggest needs and it is absolutely non-negotiable!

Furthermore, not only for our bodies, but in the light of scientific research, we can say that exercise has an extraordinary rejuvenating effect on brain function. In the past it was thought that exercise was only useful for issues such as muscle health and weight control, but we now know that it is very important to incorporate an exercise routine appropriate to our own fitness level into our lives so that our cognitive processes such as memory, healthy decision-making, abstraction and intellectual capacity are healthy and balanced.

A sedentary lifestyle not only weakens our joints, muscles and bones, but also negatively affects the way we perceive life. In order to live a healthy and vigorous life, we need an energetic body, a structure that can make flexible and correct decisions in the face of events, a strong memory, no difficulty in concentrating and strong sensory organs.

In other words, a healthy brain working at full capacity!

The benefits of physical exercise for the brain are so numerous that it is worth doing something about it…

Research shows that the psychological and cognitive behaviour of people who engage in moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, yoga and Pilates, is healthier and more balanced than that of those who do not.

 

Let’s take a look at 30 benefits of exercise.

Regular exercise:

1. Strengthens memory by increasing the function of the frontal lobe, which regulates brain functions such as conscious thought and healthy decision-making.

2. It increases the release of endorphins, one of the happiness hormones, by supporting the function of the pituitary gland.

3. Exercise reduces stress hormones and increases the levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine, which are known to speed up information processing.

4. Regular exercise is an important tool in the fight against serious addictions such as alcohol, smoking, overeating and drugs.

5. It reduces problems with balance and physical coordination seen in neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease.

6. It slows the progression of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia and early dementia, and relieves their symptoms.

7. Improves learning and mental performance.

8. Relieves symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.

9. Ensures healthy development and protection of nerve cells.

10. Keeps the sensory organs alive and vigorous.

11. Research shows that the grey cells responsible for managing areas such as muscle control in the brain, vision, hearing, memory, speech, decision making, emotional regulation, emotionally healthy self-control are more in people who practice yoga regularly.

12. The amygdala region, which acts as a stress detector in our brain, has been observed to shrink and become more balanced as a result of yoga practice.

13. Regular exercise keeps the circulation healthy.

14. Especially in the elderly, it prevents the formation of “brain fog” caused by a lifestyle that lacks regular exercise and external stimuli that activate the nervous system.

15. Exercise reduces the effects of chronic stress and alleviates the symptoms of Reduces chronic pain.

16. Reduces chronic pain.

17. Increases self-esteem.

18. Brain cells start to work faster during and after exercise.

19. As blood flow to the brain increases, the person feels fitter, stronger and more alert.

20. Blood circulation, restored to a healthy flow with exercise, ensures that nerve cells are nourished as they should be.

21. Improves sleep quality.

22. Exercise reduces levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the blood.

23. During the day, people feel more energetic, lively, creative and productive.

24. With the establishment of the habit of exercise, the approach to problems and difficulties in daily life becomes flexible and the resistance to adverse conditions increases.

25. The volume of the somatosensory cortex and visual cortex in the brains of people who practice yoga regularly is greater.

26. ”Neuroplasticity, or the ability of the brain to change, is more vivid in people who exercise regularly.

27. People who exercise regularly can change unwanted habits or ways of thinking more easily.

28. Regular exercise has been observed to help with cardiovascular disease in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

29. Boosts immunity.

30. It naturally increases the production of antioxidants, which are naturally produced by the body, but whose production declines after the age of 25.

 

For our ancestors who lived thousands of years ago, exercise was an integral part of their daily lives. Of course, our daily lives are very different from those of our ancestors, but let’s not forget that our bodies are no different from those of our ancestors. It is not natural to live so differently from them, to be so disconnected from movement.

Movement is not an option for all our bodily systems, it is a necessity.

In nature, everything is in motion.

It’s modern man’s turn.