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What Are the Benefits of Physical Fitness?
Aside from the fact that physical fitness can be fun, the benefits of physical fitness include improved sleep, better mood, a stronger immune system that can help combat chronic disease, and even longer life or higher quality of life. Losing weight is only one aspect of fitness; improving the body's normal functions is a bigger part, and it can improve brain function as well as lung and heart function. The benefits of physical fitness are varied and not all are difficult to achieve. A regular workout routine, however light or brief, can do wonders toward improving one's overall health.
Obesity is perhaps one of the biggest problems among large segments of the population, and it can lead to a wide variety of illnesses and diseases that can affect the quality of life. One of the benefits of physical fitness is the ability to combat obesity, thereby improving one's quality of life as well as overall health. Obesity can lead to other serious conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and even tendinitis or other physical injuries. Keeping one's weight in check helps prevent such conditions and injuries and can even help counteract some adverse health problems.
Regular exercise promotes blood flow throughout the body, which not only helps injuries heal quickly, but also helps improve brain function as well as the functioning of other vital organs. Improved blood flow can lead to improved mood and can even help combat more serious conditions such as depression. The benefits of physical fitness are not always physical; improved mood can lead to improved productivity and even stronger relationships with loved ones. Exercise will lead to an increase in energy, allowing a person to be active longer and more often.
Sufferers of chronic pain will find many benefits of physical fitness almost immediately. Weak muscles tend to tire quickly, and when muscles tire, they tend to tighten. This can lead to pain throughout the body as well as misalignment of the legs, hips, and torso. Weak core muscles cannot support the spine, so people who do not exercise regularly are more likely to experience back pain, hip pain, and other types of pain associated with poor muscle development.
Another one of the most important benefits of physical fitness is improved sleep. People who do not exercise regularly often suffer from sleep maladies, such as irregular sleeping patterns, insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless leg syndrome. Exercising regularly not only improves the body's function, but it also tires the body out, leading to more thorough and beneficial sleep.
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![Someone who is active and physically fit typically has quality sleep.]()
By: april_89Someone who is active and physically fit typically has quality sleep. -
![Physical fitness can help seniors stay mobile.]()
By: CandyBox ImagesPhysical fitness can help seniors stay mobile. -
![One of the benefits of physical fitness is the ability to combat obesity.]()
By: ollyOne of the benefits of physical fitness is the ability to combat obesity. -
![Active yoga and breath therapy helps integrate the mind and the body.]()
By: godferActive yoga and breath therapy helps integrate the mind and the body. -
![In recent years, obesity has skyrocketed and become a significant public health problem in the United States.]()
By: KokhanchikovIn recent years, obesity has skyrocketed and become a significant public health problem in the United States. -
![In some cases, regular exercise and overall physical health can sufficiently manage high blood pressure.]()
By: dambusterIn some cases, regular exercise and overall physical health can sufficiently manage high blood pressure.
Discussion Comments
I have noticed a big link between health and fitness in my own life. I used to stay sick with cold after cold during the winter. After I started exercising often, I cut my sicknesses way down.
I like to walk outdoors in winter, because I live in an area with a mild climate. We hardly ever get snow, and the average winter temperature is in the fifties.
I walk for about thirty minutes a day, unless it is raining. As long as I stay active, I am able to avoid most of the colds that are being passed around the workplace. I do get sick occasionally, just not nearly as often as I once did.
For me, being able to fall asleep and sleep soundly is one of the greatest benefits of physical activity. Before I became active, I suffered from insomnia and anxiety at night. Now, I pass out soon after hitting the pillow.
I found a friend to exercise with, and that has helped me stay motivated. My friend shares my love of badminton, and we play several times a week. It is a very active game that requires plenty of movement.
On days when we are not playing badminton, we go roller skating in the park. So, we always have some sort of fun physical activity to keep us fit and sleepy!
@cloudel – I have found that even a tiny bit of exercise benefits me greatly. My situation is similar to yours, and I did find a way around it.
I work at a desk job, and my office building is about ten minutes away from a park with a walking track. I always eat my lunch there, and I make it a point to walk the track for at least ten or fifteen minutes after eating.
It may not sound like much, but it has made a difference in the way I feel. I also have stopped gaining weight since I've been walking.
Getting the exercise overwith during the middle of the day is great, because like you, by the time I get home from work, I won't have the energy. Also, I'm not a morning person, so getting up earlier to work out is not an option. Noon is the perfect time for a short workout.
I spend about forty-four hours a week at a desk job, so I don't have time for a major workout routine. Truth be told, I am so tired by the time the day is over that I can't even imagine doing anything physical.
I can barely muster the energy to make dinner. I know that I need to be doing some sort of exercise, but I just don't know how I can manage this with my busy schedule and low energy level.
Does anyone here have any suggestions? I know there must be people out there in the same situation who have found ways to incorporate exercise into their busy routines.
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