Cardio benefits: 13 surprising reasons to do more aerobics

Cardio benefits: 13 surprising reasons to do more aerobics

Cardio is the abbreviation for Cardiovascular. It is also sometimes called aerobic exercise. The word aerobic means "with oxygen". In short, cardio is any type of movement that increases your heart rate and makes you sweat and breathe harder.

You use all of your large muscle groups and your lungs will breathe deeper and faster. Your heart will beat faster when it circulates blood throughout your body.

Here are some examples of cardio exercises:

Running or jogging

Fast walk

Bicycling

Dancing

Do team sports like kickball or soccer

How much cardio should I receive in a week?

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic recommend that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise.

Basically, that means 30 minutes of increased heart rate with movement five days a week. Or, if you are going hard, the recommendations are for 75 minutes of vigorous cardio, or even a combination of both.

This recommendation is for average and healthy adults. Your doctor may suggest something different if you have other health conditions or if it exceeds your current fitness level. Note that ideally this exercise should be spread out over your week, and not cluttered in a single thrilling cardio session.

Examples of moderate aerobic activity:

To mow the lawn

Swimming

Water aerobics

A brisk walk

Examples of vigorous aerobic activity:

Star jumps

Running on a treadmill

Cycling

Jumping rope

What if I get more? Or less?

More exercise beyond the suggested amounts can add additional benefits. The health benefits appear up to 300 minutes or more per week. However, if you go too far, you may experience problems with overtraining syndrome and overuse injuries. Your exercise should be the right amount for your level of health and fitness. If you are a beginner, start slowly to see what works for you.

But even if you can't do 30 minutes a day, even brief periods of intense exercise can make a difference to your health. Don't have time for a long training period? It's okay - science has shown that even a few minutes of movement that causes heavy breathing will help your body in many ways. For example, three 10-minute brisk walks will also give you good results.

13 benefits of cardiovascular exercise

What does cardio training do for you? A significant advantage is that cardiovascular exercise lowers your resting heart rate and your blood pressure. This means that your heart doesn't have to work as hard, which has benefits for your whole body.

Here is information about the health benefits you will see from cardio exercise:

1. Heart health

Exercise is great for heart health and preventing heart disease. When you train, you strengthen your heart. And as mentioned, exercise helps lower your blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a known risk factor for heart disease. People who exercise regularly also improve the ability of their muscles to draw oxygen from the blood, which means their hearts don't have to work as hard. This helps prevent heart attacks.

2. Weight control

Being physically active also helps you with your weight. Cardio is great for burning calories if you're looking for weight loss. Or, if you've already reduced your body fat and want to keep it, regular activity can help you keep your weight off.

Since obesity can cause many problems, research shows that reducing body weight can lead to long-term health improvement.

3. Strengthens aerobic capacity

Aerobic capacity describes how your body absorbs and uses oxygen. When you have high aerobic capacity, you can do more because your body doesn't tire or run out of gas as quickly.

If your aerobic capacity is low, simply walking from your car to the store can be a chore.

The good thing is that you can develop your effectiveness over time. Exercisers who get into the habit of moving around a lot find improvements in their capacity as their aerobic capacity increases and fatigue decreases

4. Brain function

Studies have shown that exercise can fight against the deterioration of brain cells in the elderly (2). By helping the brain to replace cells, it can improve memory and thinking skills. And again, as blood flow increases, it helps to reduce the health risks of illnesses like strokes.

Improving brain function alone is an intelligent motivation to integrate cardio into your daily goals.

5. Reduces the risk of diabetes

A study by researchers at Johns Hopkins has shown that cardio activity combined with strength training can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than 50%.

The blood pumping activity helps the muscles to better process glycogen. When this system is altered, it leads to high blood sugar and then to diabetes.

6. lowers stress levels

Did you know that exercise releases endorphins? These are chemicals in your brain that help improve your mood. It can also be useful as meditation in motion. Have you ever played a group sport and feel you are in the "zone"? This concentration of your attention results in helping you get rid of your stressful thoughts.

7. Better sleep

Exercise also helps you sleep better. And better sleep has been shown in studies to help with cognitive function, depression and anxiety, weight loss and stress.

However, you should exercise before bed because some people find it stimulates their mind and have trouble sleeping right after. Find the times and intensities of movement that give you the best effects.

8. Reduces joint pain and stiffness in arthritis

People who suffer from arthritis and joint pain symptoms sometimes use this as a reason for not being active; however, for many of the benefits listed in this article, a person with arthritis should exercise.

People with arthritis also often have weak muscles, decreased pain tolerance, and stiff joints, all of which can be helped by movement. If you have arthritis, see your doctor for the best advice on how to get started.

9. Reduces the likelihood of illness

Consistent cardio workouts help reduce so many different conditions. In addition to all of the elements already mentioned, it can help reduce the risk of stroke and certain types of cancer.

In addition, regular cardio exercise can strengthen your immune system. It can also help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

10. May improve the condition of your skin

Yes, regular activity can give you clearer and better skin. Aerobic exercise improves blood circulation and circulation, leading to more attractive and healthier skin. Good skin is excellent for increased confidence.

12. improves sexual function

Another benefit? Did you know that one of the benefits of cardio pumping exercise is a better sex life? Again, exercise helps your blood flow better through your blood vessels. This means that an exercise program can help reduce the incidence of erectile dysfunction in men and increase arousal in women.

13. improves balance

In a study on age and aging, women aged 72 to 87 received a dance-based aerobic class with a variety of movements, including one leg balance, squatting and walking. The goal was to see if a class like this, done at a frequency of 3 times a week for 12 weeks, would make a difference.

They found this compared to others in a control group. these women had better balance, better stability and better grip.

14. Bones and joints

Physical activity combined with resistance exercise can help build strong bones. Weak bones are a common problem for the elderly. You can develop bone density through quality nutrition and aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise not only increases your heart rate and increases lung capacity, but it also helps promote the growth of new bones.

In addition, the joints stiffen with age. One way to combat this is to regularly move your joints with cardio exercises. Exercise can also reduce inflammation, which is so crucial for aging bones.