The Effect of Exercise on Life

The Effect of Exercise on Life Exercise causes multiple effects in many areas of life. It improves physical health, fitness, mental health, spiritual health, and general overall well-being. It benefits the heart, blood circulation, lowers cholesterol and fat levels, makes arteries and blood vessels more flexible and work better. Exercise is one of the most important parts of keeping at the recommended weight for your height. It also makes muscles stronger and more flexible, and improves your outlook on life and attitude. General overall well being is improved by exercise. The effects of exercise are almost all positive. Exercise improves physical health in strength, heart health, and fitness. As you exercise regularly, muscle strength and tone increases. The cardio vascular effects of exercise include increased blood and nutrient flow to organ systems, brain and body. Arteries and blood vessels are more flexible and efficient. Exercise increases weight loss to bring your body into recommended weight guidelines for your height. Exercise also causes better skin tone as it flushes out wastes through sweat. If you are more physically fit, you look better and that makes you feel better. You will also be able to go to sleep, stay asleep, and have more restful sleep. Heart health is improved through exercise. It strengthens the heart muscle which in turn causes the heart to work better, and more efficiently. As the heart gets stronger it does not have to work as hard. The blood vessels are more flexible. It reduces the chance of having a heart attack or a stroke. This reduces blood pressure which also reduces the risk of stroke. Exercise reduces cholesterol which is a big risk for adults as they get older. Cholesterol is a substance which is like fat, produced by the body and by eating foods that are high in fat. Bad cholesterol can hook on to the artery walls, cause a clog, and reduce blood flow. The result can be a stroke when blood doesn’t get to the brain and permanent damage. Exercise increases good cholesterol which moves the bad cholesterol along and works to keep the arteries clear and blood moving. Exercise will result in greater spiritual health. The Apostle Paul states in First Corinthians 6:19 – 20, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body" (NIV). The Lord gives us our bodies and we are supposed to take care of them. “Honor God with your body” means to be careful what you put into your body and how you take care of it. That means keeping it healthy and fit. Mental health is improved by exercise. Endorphins are manufactured by exercise and they enhance mood. Endorphins are chemicals which also work to reduce depression. Another result of exercise is reducing stress and anxiety. Exercise loosens up the body tension and sends more oxygen to the brain. Playing a sport, going to a gym, or exercising with other people contributes to mental health. You have to talk with other people in these settings. This social interaction with others who have the same interests you do in fitness provides support for your fitness program and healthy friendships. If you are exercising in a group setting, you are not worrying about your problems and that also improves your social skills. Exercise improves brain function. Blood flow to the brain takes more oxygen which helps it work better. You are able to concentrate better and are more alert. Keeping the blood flowing to the brain improves memory, helps prevent memory loss, brain disorders, and slows down aging. The brain works with all the body systems and exercise therefore works to enhance general overall well being. There are some possible negative effects of exercise. It makes a person feel good and may then cause a desire for more endorphins. People can get addicted to exercise and keep increasing it to the point that it is doing them more harm than good. Too much exercise causes the body to produce too much of the energy hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone that causes stress. At first this is good and helps weight loss, but then with too much exercise, the body starts using up fat cells that muscles need to function. If you don’t maintain enough nutrition, the body gets out of balance. This upsets the immune system and makes you susceptible to health problems like colds, air born germs and pollution. Too much of anything is harmful. Exercise must be kept within reasonable limits and in balance. “The American Heart Association recommends that individuals perform moderately-intense exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. This recommendation supports similar exercise guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American College of Sports Medicine” (Health Guide). This recommendation of 30 minutes a day is a very reasonable investment for the payoff benefits. There are too many benefits from exercise to not make it a regular part of your daily routine. Any exercise is of benefit to health, fitness, mental outlook, and general well-being. A carefully planned exercise program will enhance your life and functioning physically, mentally, and spiritually. What a great gift God has given to us to take care of.

Works Cited

"Health Guide." Physical Activity: Exercise 's Effects on the Heart. Web. 12 Mar. 2012.

Cited: "Health Guide." Physical Activity: Exercise 's Effects on the Heart. Web. 12 Mar. 2012.