Beyond Fit
Hidden Benefits of Working Out. by SNAP Fitness
Did you know there are hidden benefits when working out, such as it is good for your brain as well as your body. We thought we would share some benefits to working out just for that added motivation with those who like to create annual New Year Resolutions.
Better Skin. Sweating it out could help you get your glow on post-workout, too. Your skin is the largest organ in your body. And as we slough off tons of skin cells each day, we need to give our body the right construction materials -- healthy foods, regular exercise, plenty of oxygen -- to rebuild.
Skin also tells the story of what's going on inside your body. And that means if your body's natural system is healthy, including the kidneys, liver and spleen, it'll translate into a healthy looking glow. Those body-sculpting benefits of working out don't hurt either, now do they?
Healthy Eyes. Here's a health shocker: moving your feet may have health benefits all the way up to your eyes. According to a recent paper published in the journal Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, regular exercise may be linked to a lowered risk of developing glaucoma. Researchers, evaluating 5,650 men and women between the ages of 48 and 90, found that people who engaged in moderate physical exercise 15 years prior had a 25 percent reduced risk of low ocular perfusion pressure, a risk factor for glaucoma. "It appears that OPP is largely determined by cardiovascular fitness," author Paul J. Foster, M.D. Ph.D., of the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology said in a statement. "We cannot comment on the cause, but there is certainly an association between a sedentary lifestyle and factors which increase glaucoma risk."
Better Sleep. Breaking a sweat during the day may just mean better beauty sleep at night. According to a large study published last year in the journal Mental Health and Physical activity, people who exercised at a moderate or vigorous level for at least 150 minutes a week (that's just over 20 minutes a day) reported 65 percent better sleep quality than their more sedentary peers.
"Increasingly, the scientific evidence is encouraging as regular physical activity may serve as a non-pharmaceutical alternative to improve sleep," study author Brad Cardinal, a professor of exercise science at Oregon State University said in a statement when the findings were released. And that, in turn, could have a whole host of additional benefits, as poor quality sleep has been linked to increases in inflammation, high blood pressure, and increased blood glucose levels in people diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
Boosted Immunity. Regular, moderate exercise may help us to stave off colds and other illnesses by upping the body's defenses against viruses and bacteria. A sedentary person is likely to catch two to three upper respiratory tract infections each year, Huffington Post reported earlier this year, but a moderately active person can cut that number by close to a third.
There are so many benefits to improve your health and enjoyment of life. Why don’t you think about beginning today?
