Benefit of Physical Activity Habits

Benefit of Physical Activity in Health Promotion

     

  It's not always easy for women to find time to exercise, but the benefits of being active are enormous, and physical activity is an essential part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Among other benefits such as helping to manage a good weight balance and reducing stress, physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), women's number one killer.

Physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), women's number one killer.

In line with WHO recommendations, the World Heart Federation encourages women to get at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week – more than 20 minutes a day.

Regular exercise is very important for your physical and mental health. It will improve your fitness and overall health, maintain a healthy weight, reduce your risk of many chronic diseases and promote good mental health.

Doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, preferably all, days is required for good health. It's the same for women and men.

There are many different types of physical activity, including running, swimming, jogging, walking and dancing, to name a few. Being active has been shown to have numerous health benefits, both physically and mentally. It might even help you live longer.

Women who exercise regularly said they did it to:

1. Increase their physical fitness

2. Have time just 'for them'.

3. Have a great time

4. Manage their weight

Benefits of Exercise for Women's Health

Regular physical activity can improve women's health and help prevent many of the diseases and conditions that are the leading cause of death and disability for women around the world. Here are some physical fitness benefits for women:

Increase your skin's health and beauty.

Glowing skin is on the list of health benefits. Exercise improves blood flow to your skin. Fitness improves acne by controlling the production of acne-triggering testosterone hormones like DHT and DHEA. Plus, sweating can open up your pores and help clear up your acne—ultimately detoxifying your skin of oil and dirt.

Exercise helps fight mood swings that are driven by hormones.

From the first menstrual cycle to menopause, women live with changing levels of estrogen and progesterone which affect their fertility patterns as well as their brain chemistry and mood. When estrogen levels drop, such as before and during a woman's period or nearing menopause, women are deprived of a natural source of a "feel good" brain chemical called serotonin.

This makes women more prone to moodiness, depression and anxiety attacks, such as symptoms found in severe premenstrual syndrome or postpartum depression.

Physical Activity counteracts mood swings triggered by this hormone by releasing endorphins, another mood regulator. Sometimes called the "runner's high," endorphins make you feel happy and relaxed after your workout.

Prevents muscle loss.

As you age, not only does your body build muscle less efficiently, but the muscle we already have breaks down more quickly. Make regular exercise an integral part of healthy aging. Exercise not only helps you maintain muscle mass, it can increase it too. This ultimately keeps our metabolism high, gives you the strength and endurance to complete daily life tasks, and helps prevent falls, which can be a life-changing experience for older adults.

Reduces risk of dementia.

Over the years, research has found that staying active can improve mental function and energy, reducing the risk of dementia. "Physical activity can improve cognitive function in the elderly, and has the potential to reduce the risk of developing cognitive impairment," according to the Alzheimer's Association. Dance classes in particular, which require learning skills such as memory and concentration, are helpful for individuals with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Staying active can improve mental function and energy, reducing the risk of dementia. Physical activity improves cognitive function in healthy older people, and potentially reduces the risk of developing cognitive impairment. Dance classes in particular, which require learning skills such as memory and concentration, are of great help to individuals with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Makes you feel happier

Physical activity has been shown to elevate your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress. This produces changes in the parts of the brain that regulate stress and anxiety. It may also increase the sensitivity of the brain to the hormones serotonin and norepinephrine, which relieve feelings of depression.

In addition, exercise can increase the production of endorphins, which are known to help produce positive feelings and reduce pain perception.

Additionally, exercise has been shown to reduce symptoms in women who suffer from anxiety and depression. It can also help them become more aware of their mental state and practice distraction from their fear.

The effect of physical activity on mood is so strong that choosing to exercise (or not) even makes a difference in a short amount of time.

Very good for reproductive health

Exercise is beneficial for those who are trying to get pregnant, as well as during and after pregnancy. Being active and living a healthy lifestyle helps manage your weight, and those of a healthy weight have less difficulty getting pregnant. Exercise, when prescribed by a qualified professional, is safe and useful during pregnancy. In fact, studies have shown that mothers who exercise during pregnancy are more likely to have overweight children. Infants born to active mothers also develop better motor skills

Reducing cancer risk.

The risk of lung, colon and breast cancers can be greatly reduced in people who are active regularly. Exercise is an important step in preventing breast cancer because higher estrogen levels increase your risk. Women who exercised vigorously, in general, were older at the time of their first menstruation, and tended to have irregular periods and shorter phases of estrogen production. Postmenopausal women who like to exercise are shown to have lower estrogen levels.

Exercise prevents bone loss and osteoporosis.

Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis and related fractures and to lose height with age. One of the best ways to build strong bones is through exercise, preferably beginning in the younger years. During adolescence and young adulthood, women build up most of the bone mass that can protect them from osteoporosis later in life.

Weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises in particular improve bone health, regardless of age. Tennis, hiking, aerobics or jogging builds the bones and keeps them strong. Lifting weights, using an exercise band or simply standing up and lifting your toes, builds strength, balance and flexibility that can prevent falls. Be sure to talk to your doctor, physical therapist, or exercise specialist to help you determine the best and safest exercises for your age and condition. Fitness or Exercise can be one of the most important things you can do to prevent osteoporosis, protect yourself from falls and help maintain bone mass, strengthening exercises such as weight lifting, jogging, hiking, stair climbing, step aerobics, dancing and racket sports are best.

Enhance your sex life.

Regular exercise 20 minutes a day can increase the sexual response in women. Exercising not only makes you feel energized, but it can also make you feel more wanted. Since exercise can improve health, vitality, appearance, and self-esteem, it does tend to increase interest in—and capacity for—sexual activity. Make sure your partner is also exercising! Exercising with your partner will not only allow you to spend time together, it will also trigger adrenaline and other feel-good hormones to get you excited.

Improves digestion

Fitness or Exercise helps the intestinal muscles to break down food and move it properly through your system by strengthening the abdominal muscles and minimizing lethargy. Even short, intermittent walks throughout the day can help keep things in order.

Enhance mental performance and work productivity.

Exercise is important to improve the overall quality of life, especially when it comes to work. Exercise not only increases confidence in the workplace, which helps you take on a leadership role and perform better, but it also increases productivity and overall focus. Many of the employees surveyed reported increased ability to manage their time and earn more, as well as improvements in overall mental and interpersonal performance when they exercised in the middle of the day.

Relieves stress, depression and anxiety.

Regular activity elevates your mood, but it does more than that. Exercise can make a huge difference in your health. Exercising can definitely help you relax and make you feel better, preventing anxiety and depression from coming back." How? When you exercise, depression-relieving neurotransmitters and endorphins are released. Plus, you'll raise your body temperature, which can calm nerves.

Exercise keeps your weight in control.

Although men and women are equally likely to gain weight as they age, women have particular challenges. Younger women may find that weight gain during pregnancy lasts long after delivery. Then, as middle-aged women lose estrogen at menopause, the body redistributes fat cells to the belly, which can thwart weight loss. And because muscle burns more calories than fat, women may struggle with maintaining or losing weight as their muscle mass declines with age. (medineplus.gov)

Physical activity can help combat this by allowing women to maintain and build lean muscle mass, so they look and feel leaner. Exercise also burns excess calories which would otherwise accumulate as fat. In one 20-year study of 3,500 men and women conducted by researchers at Northwestern University, all participants gained weight as they got older, but those who exercised gained significantly less weight. Women, in particular, benefited, gaining an average of 13 pounds less than inactive women.

Physical activity improves the quality of sleep.

Women find it harder to fall and stay asleep than men and experience more daytime sleepiness. This tendency can grow more bothersome due to new motherhood, monthly hormonal changes and perimenopausal symptoms such as night sweats.

Physical activity has a very good track record of improving sleep quality. In one study of 2600 volunteers, which has been published in the Journal of Mental Health and Physical Activity, participants who did 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week, they reported a 65% improvement in sleep quality. They also say they feel fresher during the day.

Even with all of these benefits in mind, women may find it hard to find the time or energy to exercise regularly. Motivation should start with looking in the mirror and saying to yourself, Now is the time to do something.

It requires personal commitment and readiness. However, you don't need to start exercising by punishing yourself. Go out and do something active. Find a friend or coach who motivates you to get up and get moving. And remember, it's not about instant results but long-term changes that will provide you with better health and self-esteem for a lifetime.

Benefits of Physical Activity During  and after Pregnancy

Physical activity during pregnancy is beneficial for the overall health of women. Moderate-intensity physical activity by healthy women during pregnancy maintains or enhances cardiorespiratory fitness.

The risk of moderate-intensity activity performed by a healthy woman during pregnancy is very low, and does not increase the risk of low birth weight, preterm labor, or early miscarriage.

There is some evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, antenatal depression, and reduces the length of labor, but this evidence is not conclusive.

During the normal postpartum period, regular physical activity continues to provide benefits to a woman's overall health.

Moderate-intensity physical activity during the postnatal period increases a woman's cardiorespiratory fitness and improves her mood. The activity did not appear to have an adverse effect on breast milk volume, breast milk composition, or infant growth. Physical activity also helps women reach and maintain a healthy weight during the postpartum period, and when combined with calorie restriction, helps promote weight loss.

It's never too late to work out

Don't think you're too late to get started. Older people can achieve significant health benefits after only 2 to 3 months of regular exercise. As an added bonus, if you start to be active regularly, your body will continue to benefit from physical activity well into your 80s.