What Are Some Benefits of Exercise?

 What Are Some Benefits of Exercise?

Experts recommend that teens get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Here are some reasons why:

Exercise benefits every part of the body, including the mind. Exercise improves brain health and learning. It can help people sleep better. When you exercise, your body makes chemicals that help you feel good. Exercise lowers your chances of depression and decreases feelings of anxiety. Plus, exercise can give you a real sense of accomplishment and pride at having achieved a goal — like mastering a new dance routine or beating an old time in the 100-meter dash.

Exercise helps people keep a healthy weight and lower their risk of some diseases. Exercising regularly can help prevent weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Bone-strengthening exercise — like jumping, running, or lifting weights — can help keep bones strong.

Exercise can help a person age well. This may not seem important now, but your body will thank you later. Regular exercise improves quality of life — the ability to enjoy things — as you get older. It can improve brain health and reduce the chance of getting Alzheimer’s (a brain disease that causes memory loss). Exercising can help prevent falls and injuries from falls.

Three parts of a balanced exercise routine include: aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility activities.