The health benefits of sport they are very varied, and include both physical and mental effects. Exercising regularly is one of the best ways to stay healthy and to be in good psychological health..
Many people think that integrating physical exercise into their daily routine only serves to lose weight and burn calories. Although this may be one of its most interesting benefits, it is certainly not the only one. In fact, if there is a habit that can make a difference in terms of quality of life, it is undoubtedly sport..
In this article we will tell you what are the main benefits of sport for physical and mental health. Of course, there are many more; but here we have selected only the most important.
The body is the main affected when we do sports on a regular basis. In this section we will see what are the main ways in which physical exercise improves the state of our body.
One of the most direct effects of physical exercise on our body is the development of muscles and the loss of fat. This is, in fact, the main reason why most people start to integrate sport into their daily routine. However, there are many misconceptions related to this process..
The reality is that the exact effects of sport on our body composition largely depend on the type of exercise that is performed, and how it is carried out. They have nothing to do, for example, the changes our body undergoes when doing weight training, than when running, swimming or doing yoga..
Contrary to popular belief, the calorie loss achieved with exercise is often too small to provide substantial changes. On the other hand, studies show that doing strength training makes muscles grow noticeably.
To gain a significant fat loss benefit from sport, it is best to do workouts that force your muscles to get stronger. In this way, basal metabolism (the calories we burn when resting) is increased, and fat can be lost more easily.
But it's not just the muscles that are affected when we exercise regularly. Several studies on the subject suggest that having a sports routine during youth can prevent and even avoid bone-related problems in old age.
Thus, it has been discovered that diseases such as osteoporosis can be greatly combated by performing strength training on a regular basis. This significantly increases the quality of life of the elderly, especially if this habit is implemented from the youth.
Although it is not known exactly why it occurs, one of the most studied effects of physical exercise is the reduction of the chances of suffering from diseases of all kinds. Thus, for example, a person who trains regularly will have a lower probability of developing cancer, type II diabetes, or cardiovascular problems..
The possible reasons for this improvement in health are various. On the one hand, muscle fibers have a cleansing effect on the rest of the body, eliminating all kinds of toxins. On the other hand, sport can help regulate factors such as blood pressure or insulin spikes, thus promoting general health.
In this sense, again, different types of exercise have different effects on health. It seems that strength training would be the most indicated to improve the physical well-being of the person, closely followed by high intensity cardiovascular workouts.
Other activities, such as traditional "cardio," the more common team sports, or lower-intensity disciplines such as yoga, would also decrease the possibility of developing diseases; but its effects would be significantly less.
One of the areas in which sport has the most influence is in the production of sex hormones; especially in testosterone. This substance is responsible for regulating libido in both men and women. Very low levels in the body can end up producing all kinds of problems in this regard.
Thus, various studies show that carrying out an exercise routine regularly can help combat problems such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, anorgasmia or lack of sensitivity in the genitals.
On the other hand, sport can also increase the sexual desire of the person who practices it indirectly. For example, the reduction of stress associated with physical exercise can play a very important role in the recovery of a healthy libido..
Finally, one of the lesser known but possibly more important physical health benefits of sport is the effect it has on longevity. Although not many studies have been carried out on the subject, the data we have today suggests that exercising regularly can increase life expectancy.
This benefit is indirectly related to all of the above. By itself, having good muscles and bone health and avoiding the onset of cardiovascular diseases or cancer already significantly increases life expectancy.
However, it appears that sport also has a direct effect on longevity. In studies with mice, it was found that those who led a sedentary lifestyle could live even half as long as those who were more active.
Sport not only improves the physical appearance of those who practice it, but also positively affects their brain. Next we will see the main benefits of exercise on a mental level.
Some people feel that, no matter how much they rest and even if they sleep eight hours a day or more, they are always tired. According to research in this regard, the lack of physical exercise can have a lot to do with this phenomenon.
Although at the time of practicing it we get tired, in the medium and long term, sport can increase our average energy levels. In this way, those who do physical activities on a regular basis feel less fatigued on a regular basis..
Another benefit of sport on a mental level that is closely related to the previous one is the positive effect that exercise has on sleep. People who regularly engage in vigorous physical activities have less trouble sleeping, and feel more rested when they wake up.
In fact, physical exercise is considered one of the best natural remedies for insomnia. If you've ever struggled in this regard, training intensely at least three times a week can do wonders for your rest..
Physical exercise has all kinds of benefits at the level of cognitive abilities. Many studies have shown that training regularly can improve skills such as memory, attention, logical reasoning or the ability to speak.
There are many possible explanations for this; but one of the most accepted is the direct effect that the musculature has on a process known as neurogenesis. Through this process, our brain is able to produce new neurons, something that until recently was thought to be totally impossible.
On the other hand, practicing sports on a regular basis also has a very important effect on the way we usually feel. It has been proven that the process of doing physical exercise releases endorphins in our brain, which are the substances in charge of causing our positive moods..
In this way, people who train regularly have greater sensitivity to neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, and they produce them in greater quantities. This, added to the cleansing effect that skeletal muscles have on our body, makes exercise one of the best natural antidepressants that exist..
The last of the benefits of sport for mental health that we are going to see is related to our self-concept. People who train regularly tend to have higher self-esteem than those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, for several reasons.
The main one is that having useful muscles sends the message to our brain that we are capable of fending for ourselves. In this way, our mind makes us have greater self-esteem, because it considers that we are independent and that we will not have great difficulties regardless of the situation in which we find ourselves.
On the other hand, many sports also encourage the appearance of so-called "flow states". It is a mental state that only arises when we face appropriate challenges at our level and we surpass ourselves. Many researchers think that flow is one of the main causes of happiness.
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