Run, walk more, sign up for ballet or try yoga. These purposes have benefit that goes beyond keeping fit or showing off muscles. As we will see below, sport protects the heart, improves mental abilities, reduces the risk of suffering a neurodegenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s and can even make us feel happier.
Mental health benefits
1. Your health will thank you… beyond the kilos
For those who care about their health, science recommends that they put on the tracksuit. And it is that doing physical exercise implies benefits beyond keeping fit. Experts repeat that spending more than 30 minutes a day for five days a week lowers the risk of suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes or cancer.
2. Take care of your heart… and more
It is not new: sport protects the heart. Regular exercise allows control cardiovascular diseasesuch as heart attacks or hypertension. And the benefits are multiplied, if we practice sport in the long term and with a moderate intensity.
But not all physical activity equally strengthens this important muscle. According to a study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicinethe sports that most reduce the risk of heart disease are racket sports (tennis, paddle tennis or badminton), swimming and aerobic exercises, such as dancing and gymnastics.
And its benefits do not end there: regular sport has a favorable influence on joint and respiratory diseases. It also serves to improve bone health, increase the autonomy of the elderly and lengthen life.
3. Increase your concentration
When you exercise, the brain works and triggers thousands of chemical and neural reactions. An activity that helps maintain attention and concentration, and whose effects extend beyond the moment of training.
The reason is that physical activity influences the strength muscularcardiorespiratory fitness and motor skills, processes that affect “cognitive transmission, working memory and cognitive flexibility” and that, finally, help improve academic performance.
4. Protect your brain
Even can prevent neurodegenerative diseaseslike Alzheimer’s disease. But to notice the effects of training on the brain, experts remind you that it must be prolonged over time and practiced frequently. Practicing about 150 minutes of sport every two days reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, especially when training is constant and prolonged over time.
5. Drive away depression
Physical activity is also cheap medicine that prevents depression. The reason is that practicing sports helps secrete hormones such as testosterone, adrenaline, cortisol and endorphins, which act as neurotransmitters capable of generating a feeling of relaxation and happiness. These chemicals make us feel more relaxed and content, while driving away stress.
