Physical exercise Essays

Physical exercise Essays Physical exercise Essay Physical exercise Essay Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health or wellness. It is performed for various reasons. These include strengthening muscles and cardiovascular system, honing athletic skills, weight loss or maintenance and for enjoyment. Physical exercise boosts the immune system, and helps prevent the â€Å"diseases of affluence† such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease. It also improves mental health, helps prevent depression, helps to promote or maintain positive self-esteem, and can even augment an individual sex appeal or body  image, which again is also linked with higher levels of self-esteem. Childhood obesity is growing global concern and physical exercise may help decrease the effects of childhood obesity in developed countries. Physical exercise is important for maintaining physical fitness and can contribute positively to maintaining a health weight, building and maintaining healthy bone density, muscle strength, and joint mobility, promoting physiological well being, reducing surgical risks, and strengthening the immune system. However exercise is a form of discipline. It means self-control and sincerity. We need to neglect  our idleness. Physical exercise helps in character building. It makes our mind sharp and active. It improves mental strength and capability. It adds to our capability and improves our performance. Physical exercise done in morning keeps us healthy. Exercise also reduces levels of cortisol. Cortisol is as stress hormone that builds fat in the abdominal region, making weight loss difficult. Also Cortisol causes many health problems, both physical and mental. Regular aerobic exercise has been shown to help shown to help prevent or treat serious and life- threatening chronic conditions such as: Burns calories   Improves endurance Reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes Decreased blood triglycerides Improve weight control There is evidence that vigorous exercise is more beneficial than moderate exercise. Some studies have shown that vigorous exercise executed by healthy individuals can increase testosterone and growth hormone, effects that are not as us fully realized with moderate exercise. However, at this intensity for long periods of time, or without proper warm up beforehand and cool down afterwards, can lead to an increased risk of injury and overtraining. Both aerobic and anaerobic exercise also work to increase the mechanical efficiency of the heart by increasing cardiac volume (aerobic exercise), or myocardial thickness (strength training). Such changes are generally beneficial and healthy if they occur in response to exercise. Not everyone benefits equally from exercise. There is a lot of variation in individual response to training: where most people will see a moderate increase in endurance from aerobic exercise, some individuals will as much as double their oxygen uptake, while others can never enhance endurance. Also, muscle hypertrophy from resistance training is primarily determined by diet and testosterone. This genetic variation in improvement from training is one of the key physiological differences between professional athletes and usually people. I can say that exercising in middle age leads to better physical ability later in life. Beneficial effect of exercise on the Cardiovascular System Improved Heart Health: The first one is an improved condition of your heart is a muscle just like any other and in order for it to become strong it must be worked. If you fail to work it, it will weaken over time and this can cause a  variety of negative health effects. By getting the heart pumping at a faster rate on regular basis you will keep it in shape and healthy. Too many people are getting tired just performing simple exercises such as walking up the stairs and the primary reason for this is because they are neglect to work their heart muscle. -Improved Hormonal Profile Performing cardiovascular exercise also changes the hormonal profile in your body considerably. It releases feel good hormones that will help ease symptoms of depression and fatigue as well as releasing hormones that decrease the appetite. -Management of Diabetes Lastly, for those who have diabetes, cardiovascular exercise helps them manage this condition. By performing the exercise you will increase your muscle’s ability to utilize glucose. Those who exercise regularly tend to have better control of their blood sugars and do not see as many blood sugar swings as those who don’t. For diabetes this is increasingly important as they are extremely sensitive to changes in blood sugar levels. Effect on the immune system Although there have been hundreds of studies on exercise and immune system, there is little direct  evidence on its connection to disease. Epidemiological evidence suggest that moderate exercise has a beneficial effect on the human immune system while extreme exercise impairs, weakens it. Moderate exercise has been associated with 30 % decreased incidence of upper respiration tract infections, but studies of marathon runners found that their long high-intensity exercise was associated with an increased risk of an infection, although another study did not find effect. The immune system of athletes and non-athletes are generally similar. Effects on brain function  There are several possibilities for why exercise is beneficial for the brain: Increasing the blood and oxygen flow to the brain. -Increasing growth factors that help create new nerve cells and promote synaptic plasticity -Increasing chemicals in the brain that help create new nerve cells and promote synaptic plasticity -Increasing chemicals in the brain that help cognition, such as dopamine, glutamate, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Effect on depression Depression can be helped by regular exercise. Physical activity causes brain pleasure centres to be  stimulated and leads to feelings of wellbeing. Exercise can also be effective in the treatment for anxiety and depression. Some research studies indicate that regular exercise may be as effective as other treatments like medication to relieve milder depression. Generally, exercise has a place in treatment as part of a comprehensive approach to the illness. Effect on sleep Some research studies suggested that exercise generally improves sleep disorders such as insomnia. The optimum time to exercise may be 4 to 10 hours before bedtime, though exercise at any time of day  is beneficial, with the possible exception of heavy exercise taken shortly before bedtime, which may disturb sleep. While however there is insufficient evidence to draw detailed conclusions about the relationship between exercise and sleep. Public health measures Signs that encourage the use of stairs, as well as community campaigns, have been shown to be effective in increasing exercise in a population. The city of Bogota, Columbia, for example, blocks off 113 kilometers of roads on Sundays and holidays to make it easier for its citizens to get exercise. These pedestrian zones are part of an effort to combat chronic diseases, including obesity. Common misconceptions Many myths have become surrounding exercise, some of which have a basis in reality, and some are completely false. I will give some examples of myths below: Myth: Someone who’s thin is fit Being fit means you have strong and healthy heart, lungs, muscles, bones and joints. Just because is thin or of normal weight doesn’t mean he or she can run a long distance or open a heavy door. Regular physical activity and balanced eating can help you stay at heathy weight and prevent disease. Myth: There’s one best way to be physically active. There are many types of physical activity that are enjoyable and beneficial for our health. The 3 types of activities that promote overall health are: Activities for strong, healthy muscles and bones, like lifting weights (strengthening ) Activities for safe, healthy joints and muscles, like yoga and stretching( flexibility) Activities for a stronger heart and lungs, like walking or biking (aerobic) Myth: Jogging is a better activity than walking. Walking is an excellent way to get a stronger heart and lungs, and reduce your risk of disease. The important thing is to do an activity you enjoy, whether it’s jogging, walking or something else. To be active for at least 30 minutes on 5 or more days of the week. You don’t have to do all 30 minutes at once. If it’s easier or more convenient, do several 10 minutes sessions throughout day. Physical activity for children (under 5 years old) Being physically active every day is important for the health growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. For this age group, activity of any intensity should be encouraged,  including light activity and more energetic physical activity. The amount of physical activity you need to do each week is determined by your age. Babies Babies should be encouraged to be active from birth. Before your baby to crawl, encourage them to be physically active by reaching and grasping, pulling and pushing, moving their head, body and limbs during daily routines, and during supervised floor play, including tummy time. Once babies can move around, encourage them to be as active as possible in a safe, supervised and nurturing play environment. All children under 5 years old  Children under 5 should not be inactive for long periods, except when they’re asleep. Watching TV, travelling by car, bus or train or being strapped into a buggy for long periods are not good for child’s health and development. There’s growing evidence that such behavior can increase their risk of poor health. All children under 5 who are overweight can improve their health by meeting the activity guidelines, even if their weight doesn’t change. To achieve and maintain a healthy weight, they may need to do additional activity and make changes to their diet.