Reasons to exercise

Research shows that regular exercise lowers the risk for many diseases, enhances the functioning of virtually every physiological system in the human body, and improves psychological well-being. Unfortunately, fewer than 40 percent of Americans exercise enough to experience these significant health benefits.

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Here is a list of reasons for you to exercise regularly. It is well-documented that exercise:

• Helps you manage stress.
• Helps you lose fat.
• Improves your immune system.
• Reduces medical expenses.
• Reduces your risk of heart disease.
• Increases muscle strength.
• Improves athletic performance.
• Can help relieve tension headaches.
• Helps you sleep easier and better.
• Enhances sexual desire and performance.
• Increases bone density.
• Improves your physical appearance.
• Assists in efforts to stop smoking.
• Helps you to relax.
• Can help improve memory in older individuals.
• Helps maintain weight loss.
• Helps relieve common discomforts of pregnancy.
• Reduces your anxiety level.
• Helps control blood pressure.
• Reduces various cardiac dysrhythmias.
• Improves the survival from a heart attack.
• Helps to overcome jet lag.
• Slows joint degeneration.
• Lowers your resting heart rate.
• Helps to boost creativity.
• Reduces circulating levels of triglycerides.
• Helps against upper respiratory infections.
• Helps to preserve lean body tissue.
• Increases ability to supply blood to the skin.
• Increases cartilage thickness in your joints.
• Increases your level of muscle endurance.
• Helps prevent intestinal ulcers.
• Increases the strength of ligaments and tendons.
• Increases your maximal oxygen uptake.
• Helps you maintain your resting metabolic rate.
• Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.
• Helps to relieve constipation.
• Expands blood plasma volume.
• Reduces the risk of developing prostate cancer.
• Helps to combat substance abuse.
• Helps to alleviate depression.
• Helps you maintain proper muscle balance.
• Helps to alleviate certain menstrual symptoms.
• Helps to alleviate lower back pain.
• Improves mental alertness.
• Improves respiratory muscle muscle endurance.
• Reduces your risk of having a stroke.
• Helps you to burn excess calories.
• Improves coronary circulation.
• Improves your self-esteem.
• Reduces the risk of developing breast cancer.
• Maintains or improves joint flexibility.
• Improves your glucose tolerance.
• Reduces workdays missed due to illness.
• Reduces the viscosity of your blood.
• Increases your productivity at work.
• Improves your balance and coordination.
• Provides protection against injury.
• Improves your decision making abilities.
• Reduces the risk of endometriosis.
• Makes your heart a more efficient pump.
• Helps to decrease left ventricular hypertrophy.
• Helps to increase your overall health awareness.
• Reduces the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Helps you to maintain an independent lifestyle.
• Improves your overall quality of life.