How sports and outdoor activities boost your energy
When you hear the word sports you probably think basketball, baseball, or football. When you read outdoor activity you may imagine intense daily workouts at a gym or walking in the park. You are right! Even if you are not that extreme sporty, certain things can help you get the benefits of sports and outdoor activities, e.g. walking in the afternoon sun for 10 minutes, skipping ropes, taking your kids for a stroll, playing football with children, just running, jumping in the same place, taking stairs instead of lift, all can be beneficial. All these helps you lead a healthy life and boost your energy level. Exercise boosts your body’s fitness and also your mood, both of which contribute to your overall health and well-being.
Exercise boosts many areas of wellness because of:
An increase in endorphin levels- Endorphins are our body’s natural hormones that get released when we are doing something that requires a burst of energy — they are the things that make us perform, make us move. Exercise tends to increase those levels. It’s the endorphin release that contributes to the feeling of euphoria commonly known as “runner’s high.”
Better heart health- Exercise boosts cardiovascular health, which allows you to have greater endurance throughout the day. When it’s easier to do your daily activities, you’ll have energy left over and not feel so tired when work is done. For overall cardiovascular health, the American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least five days a week. For lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, aim for 40 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity aerobic activity three to four times per week.
Improved sleep- Exercise also allows you to get a better night’s rest; when you get high-quality sleep, you feel more refreshed during the day. A study published in April 2015 in the Journal of Sleep Research looked at people with insomnia who engaged in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity spread over the course of a week (this is the World Health Organization’s recommended level of physical activity for adults). Researchers found that this amount of physical activity was associated not only with a significant reduction in the severity of insomnia symptoms, but an elevation in mood as well.
Sharper focus –Mentally we feel more energized and ready to tackle the world after a good workout because endorphins have boosted our physical energy level. According to a study of older adults published in April 2016 in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, a program of 24 weeks of moderate aerobic exercise improved cognitive function, including concentration. While some researchers have speculated that higher intensity workouts might not have the same positive effect, a study published in February 2014 in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills found that a session of high-intensity training improved cognitive function with respect to attention and short-term memory tasks.
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