Are Cardio Exercises Good For
Health?
Are cardio exercises good for health?
If you’re an avid exerciser, you know that cardiovascular (or “aerobic”) workouts are
the heart of your fitness routine entertainment.dailydispatcher. This is because they get your heart rate up and
boost your blood circulation while strengthening and toning your muscles. Whether
you’re hitting the gym or jogging your dog, cardio is essential to any healthy
lifestyle.
Depending on your fitness level, you can choose a variety of aerobic activities, from
running to stair climbing entertainment.dailydispatcher.com. Many even include a little strength training, too. But
whatever you do, make sure to keep your cardio at a moderate pace so that it’s not
too taxing on your body.
Aim for a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity cardio, or 75
minutes per week of vigorous-intensity activity, as recommended by the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services.
The key is to mix up your workouts so that you don’t become bored or over-exerted,
according to Stults-Kolehmainen. This can help you avoid the dreaded burnout that
often results from too much cardio in one session.
Improves workout efficiency
You’ll have a stronger, more efficient body as you get older because regular cardio
exercises make your heart better at taking oxygen from your blood and pushing it
around your body. This is important because a weak heart can’t do its job efficiently,
which can lead to chronic health issues, including heart disease and stroke.
Lowers cholesterol
Regularly exercising with a high-intensity cardio routine can reduce the amount of
bad LDL cholesterol in your blood, increasing the amount of good HDL cholesterol.
This can also help prevent cardiovascular events, such as heart attacks and strokes.
Improves your mood and sleep
Research shows that consistent exercise can boost your energy levels, help you
cope with stress, and make it easier to fall asleep at night. In addition, it can help
reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Enhances brain function
Several studies have found that regular exercise can increase your IQ, especially
when you’re young. It also increases the production of growth factors in your brain
that improve the health and survival of new neurons.
Improving blood flow
Your heart needs to pump blood to and from your brain and to all the organs in your
body. Regularly doing cardio exercises enables your heart to reach the small blood
vessels in and around your brain that aren’t always as easily accessed by it. This
means that your brain can receive more oxygen and nutrient-rich blood, which is
crucial for brain health.
Reverses age-related brain decline
Regular cardio exercise helps slow the process of aging and can reverse certain
signs of cognitive impairment. In particular, it improves memory and thinking,
particularly in the prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain that is responsible for
things like short-term memory and executive function.
It can also improve your blood pressure and blood sugar, which are major risk
factors for developing diabetes and heart disease.