5 Surprising Benefits of Exercise

By Fee Teng Liew

The fitness industry is becoming an increasing part of many of our lives, with new fitness trends, apps, devices, and countless people telling us how we can lose weight, get stronger and even reduce stress. But for those of us who may not be big fitness enthusiasts or be naturally drawn to exercise, is it really worth incorporating into our lives?

In short, the answer is yes!

Exercising is not just about losing weight or looking more toned. There is so much more to it, with an ever-growing body of research suggesting many benefits that other methods just can’t beat. And the best thing about it? Exercise is completely free! So, aside from those already known benefits, here are some of the more surprising benefits to be aware of…

1. Anti-aging benefits

Did you know that we lose 2-3kg of muscle every decade after aged 20? This means that it is especially important for us to maintain good strength and flexibility now for the benefit of our future selves, allowing us to stay injury-free, retain good posture, have stronger bones, and perform daily activities for much longer. Regular exercise also helps us retain youthful skin, as well as delaying the onset of several chronic diseases. Remember that it’s never too late to start exercising and reap the enormous benefits it has regardless of your age! I mean who wouldn’t want to look and feel younger for longer?

2. Boosts brain health and performance

The immense brain benefits that exercise brings are both immediate and long-lasting. One single workout can instantly increase levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, boosting our mood, and improving our ability to focus. Additionally, this improvement in focus will last for at least 2 hours! Moreover, exercising regularly enables our brain to produce brand new cells, and has protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive decline.

3. Enhances creativity

Whilst we often think of people as naturally being more or less creative, studies have actually shown that regular exercise can boost creativity, regardless of our mood. It has been suggested that regular exercise is associated with enhanced divergent and convergent thinking, which are two components of creative thinking. So, the next time you feel like you have hit a creative wall and need to be inspired, try to get your body moving!

4. Aids sleep

Moderate to vigorous exercise has been shown to help us get to sleep quicker and improve our sleep quality, therefore reducing the risk of developing a sleep disorder. Reasons for this include exercise physically tiring us out which increases our need for sleep, as well as exercise acting as a stress reliever, which can be strongly linked to sleep troubles. And guess what? Whilst exercise can help you sleep, having good sleep can also make you more likely to exercise the next day too! Even just 30 minutes of moderate exercise has been shown to make a mutually beneficial difference! However, be aware of over exercising and try to ensure exercise is at least 1-2 hours before going to bed to enable your heart rate, body temperature, and adrenaline levels to get back to normal first.

5. Develops self-confidence

Aside from exercise enabling us to feel more confident in how we look, it can also boost self-confidence in other ways. For example, that feeling of accomplishment after you get through a tough workout, see progress in your sport or achieve a certain goal makes us feel proud of ourselves. The build-up of these small wins allows us to gradually build up our confidence, resilience, expand our comfort zone, and further enable us to continue challenging ourselves mentally and physically. Moreover, the endorphins released during exercise naturally alleviate negative moods, therefore making us feel more positive about ourselves, and our environment.

So hopefully you can see that partaking in regular exercise is not just about the external, visible-to-the-eye benefits, but it can have much more profound internal, long-term benefits too.

Remember that you don’t have to choose the hardest sport or longest workouts to obtain the benefits. Find something that you enjoy and that you would be happy to incorporate regularly into your lifestyle, and stick to it! It’s even better if you can find someone to partake with you for accountability. There is certainly something out there for everyone, so don’t give up or be afraid to explore the endless options as engaging in regular exercise will truly transform your health and change the trajectory of your life!