Nearly every system in your body works better when you engage in regular physical activity. Your body is meant to move, and physical activity is a key component to overall health. Research continues to underscore the benefits of exercise across the lifespan, and if you aren’t getting enough of it, you’re missing out on major health benefits.
At Nova Physician Wellness Center, our obesity medicine specialists, Rohit Suri, MD, and Seema Chaudhary, MD, create individualized wellness plans that use research-backed approaches to achieve real results. Whether your goal is to lose weight, increase your strength, build lean muscle, or improve your overall fitness, we can help you achieve your wellness goals.
In this post, our experts discuss the importance of exercise to your overall health and wellness.
Getting regular exercise reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. There are several ways physical activity keeps your brain healthy as you age.
Exercise increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain, reduces inflammation, and stimulates the brain and strengthens the brain’s ability to maintain connections and form new connections. All of this protects against cognitive decline.
Regular physical activity is an important part of preventing the accumulation of excess weight. Exercise burns calories, increases lean mass, and improves several metabolic parameters that contribute to weight maintenance. Exercise improves the body’s ability to use energy, making your cells more sensitive to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar.
Insulin also plays a role in long-term fat storage and works with your body to convert food to energy.
Physical activity is great for your heart health in many ways. The heart is a muscle, and aerobic exercise keeps it strong. When you engage in aerobic exercise, heart rate increases to ensure good blood flow. Regular physical activity boosts the heart’s ability to circulate blood so that it doesn’t have to work as hard. This improved efficiency lowers blood pressure.
What’s more, exercise lowers cholesterol by enhancing the body’s ability to transport circulating cholesterol to the liver for elimination. It also reduces how much cholesterol you absorb into the bloodstream.
Exercise boosts release of “feel good” chemicals that enhance mood and protect against depression and anxiety. People who lead active lifestyles have lower rates of anxiety and depression than sedentary people. Additionally, exercise increases the brain’s ability to buffer stress, making it a major stress-busting activity.
Being physically active benefits sleep in a number of ways. It boosts quality of sleep, increases the amount of time you sleep and boosts how long you spend in deep sleep, which is the most restorative sleep stage. Getting enough restorative sleep is linked to improved brain health and better mood.
The right fitness plan can transform your health and wellness. If you’re ready to start on the path to better health, then you’re ready for a customized wellness plan. To learn more about our individualized exercise plans or any of our other wellness services, give us a call to schedule a consultation with one of our providers.
We have offices in Fairfax, Ashburn, and Vienna, VIrginia, and we offer telemedicine to keep patients connected to outstanding care. New and existing patients can also book an appointment here on our website.
