We are all looking for ways to get lean, fit, energetic, and generally feel better. Based on numerous studies, scientists have named the most beneficial physical activity for longevity, health and good mood. This is aerobic exercise.
I do not consider myself a fan of aerobic exercise and enjoy spending time in the gym with dumbbells, but there is hardly a load that is as beneficial for the whole body, including the heart and brain, as aerobic exercise. Working multiple body parts at the same time requires stamina, strength, mindfulness, awareness and dexterity.
First, let’s remember what aerobic exercise is. The clue is given by the word itself, formed from the Greek “aero” – “air”. The principle of aerobic exercise is the consumption of a large amount of oxygen by the muscles (in contrast to anaerobic strength loads, when energy is produced due to the rapid chemical breakdown of a number of substances in the muscles without the participation of oxygen). Therefore, aerobic training is characterized by:
- duration and continuity,
- moderate intensity,
- the inclusion of a large number of muscles throughout the body,
- increased heart rate and breathing.
Typical aerobic exercise is running, walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, active games, etc. The ability to perform aerobic exercise is directly related to the state of the cardiovascular system, which provides muscles with oxygen and nutrients. Therefore, aerobic training is also called cardio training.
A lot of research suggests a strong link between exercise and health. One of them involved 300 women who beat breast cancer. They found that after one week of aerobic exercise, women felt less fatigued, more energized, and were better able to complete online surveys related to the study. Thus, physical activity may be a promising treatment for cancer-related cognitive impairment.
In another study, scientists confirmed how important aerobic exercise is for a good mood. The daily routine of patients with clinical depression included daily walking for 30 minutes. Already after 10 days, the patients’ mood improved, and the symptoms of depression decreased. Moreover, subjective and objective changes in the indicators of depression were strongly correlated. Thus, aerobic exercise can significantly improve mood in patients with major depressive disorders in a short time.
Naturally, scientists are looking for an explanation of how mood-boosting exercise “works” and why aerobic exercise has such a profound effect on brain function. Here’s one possible explanation: the blood flow throughout the body becomes more intense, and this helps the brain to receive more of the oxygen it needs, and therefore, to function clearly and “on demand”. Aerobic exercise, which stimulates blood flow to the brain, slows down the natural breakdown of brain tissue.
Apparently, it is on this principle that another result that aerobic exercise brings to our brain is based. I’m talking about reducing the risk of stroke in those who regularly engage in active sports. Thus, scientists at the University of Texas found that sports between the ages of 45 and 50 reduce the risk of stroke in old age by more than a third. The study involved nearly 20 men and women and took fitness tests on a treadmill. Scientists tracked the dynamics of their health indicators at least up to 65 years old and came to the conclusion: those whose physical shape was initially better, 37% less likely to experience stroke in old age. Moreover, this result did not depend on such important factors as diabetes and high blood pressure.
And one more important point: it turns out that in order to get the maximum benefit from aerobic exercise, you do not need to overwork, minimal training is enough! The authors of an article in the American Medical Association’s journal Internal Medicine checked the relevance of the 2008 US government guidelines for physical activity (minimum 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, or 20 minutes per day). Scientists analyzed data from previous studies of more than 660 American and European men and women. Those who followed the minimum exercise rule reduced their risk of premature death by a third. An excellent result from a daily XNUMX-minute walk, isn’t it? So aerobic exercise can be safely considered the ideal physical activity for longevity.
And here is another interesting finding from the same study: exceeding the recommended minimum by two or three times gave only a small margin over the “moderate.” In other words, doing at least a little aerobic exercise is much more beneficial than not doing it at all, and more beneficial than exhausting yourself with long and too frequent exercise. It seems to me that this is a powerful incentive to finally make at least short walks, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing or other types of aerobic activity a daily habit, because your life expectancy, good health, good mood are at stake!
If you find it difficult to choose the kind of exercise that suits you, try running! The Journal of the American College of Cardiology reports that running can help reduce the risk of dying from diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, no matter how far, how fast, or how often we run! For a decade and a half, scientists have collected information about the health of more than 55 thousand men and women from 18 to 100 years old. Runners are 30% less at risk of dying overall and 45% less at risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. Moreover, even among those runners who were overweight or smoked, mortality was lower than among people who did not practice running, regardless of their bad habits and excess weight. It also turned out that runners lived on average 3 years longer than those who did not run.
There are other health benefits associated with brief aerobic exercise. A sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of developing many diseases (diabetes, heart and kidney disease, obesity, and others). And the problem is that if you spend most of the day inactive (for example, in the office), then even morning or evening sports will not compensate for the damage caused to your health in a few hours spent in a work chair. So, a recent study showed that those who just got up every hour to walk for just two minutes reduced their risk of premature death by about 33% compared to people who sat with almost no breaks. This study is observational in nature and allows us to talk only about the connection between longevity and regular short physical activity during a sedentary stay in the office (or elsewhere), but the possible benefits of this practice seem tempting. Bonus: Scientists at Stanford University found that walking increases creativity by 60%. A good reason to take a break from work for at least a couple of minutes! Here are six easy ways to get moving more often during your workday.
So, aerobic exercise is suitable for everyone who wants to get rid of extra pounds, improve sleep, improve health, and live longer. They are also ideal exercises for a good mood. Active walking, jogging, swimming, jumping, tennis – choose to taste any relatively long and moderate physical activity that increases heart rate and breathing. Exercise regularly – and you will be healthy and happy!