Why Exercise Is So Important Right Now
Exercise is always good for your health, but it’s especially important while many of us remain cooped up at home.
If you haven’t put exercise into your daily routine, now’s the time! No matter how you get moving, whether it’s an online class or push-ups in the middle of the day, the important thing is to get moving.
Here are just some of the benefits:
Strengthen your body.
Strengthening your body helps improve your metabolic rate and build muscle, which helps contribute to weight loss and increased more energy. Because of this, exercise directly helps offset some of the major risk factors for COVID-19, like diabetes and obesity. By strengthening your body, you’ll help prevent what months of homebound inactivity can worsen.
Beat stress.
We’re all feeling a little extra pressure these days. Fitness can help reduce your stress and make it more manageable. Exercising stimulates the release of your brain’s mood-regulating neurotransmitters, including endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. Together these chemicals can help lower stress and anxiety. Find other tips for de-stressing here.
Bolster immunity.
Throughout COVID-19 we’ve been explaining how vital it is to strengthen your immune system. Regular moderate-intensity exercise boosts the production of antibodies, promotes good circulation, and reduces inflammation. While fitness will not make you immune, it puts you in a better position to cope with infections.
Protect yourself.
Exercise has a powerful effect on physical and mental health, and may reduce your risk for severe COVID-19 complications. New research supports a link between physical activity and lower incidence of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), one of the most serious complications among COVID-19 patients.