what are the benefits of aerobic exercise essay

Benefits Of Aerobics Report

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Aerobics is a type of physical exercise that involves rhythmic movements with stretching and strength-training routines aimed at improving all the aspects of fitness that include flexibility, muscular strength, and cardiovascular fitness. It is mainly carried out in a group setting, at the directions of an instructor, with background music. Nevertheless, individual performance with or without the accompaniment of music is often undertaken. Ideally, aerobics exercises performance is for at least 30 minutes a day, 20 minutes of which are used to make a performance at a taxing degree of intensity. Participants in the exercise perform various routines comprising of diverse dance-like exercises. Official classes of aerobics are designated into different levels depending on the fitness level of the participants. These exercises are energetic, vigorous, regular, and last long enough to offer essential health benefits to the body (“What is aerobic?” para 1).

The benefits of aerobic exercise are best realized by increasing the heart rate and practicing hard breathing for a prolonged period. For the period of the exercise, the body gives out more energy and transports more oxygen to the muscles. The heartbeat increases and fastens the flow of blood to the muscles and back to the lungs. This builds up the heart, improves its strength to pump blood more proficiently, and increases the rate of circulation of blood throughout the body.

Aerobic fitness is a vital asset in emergency crises such as earthquakes, floods, loss in the wilderness, and other bizarre situations. The capability of one to move out safely or to endure such conditions depends on one’s ability to walk, run, swim, climb, and carry out other activities (“Aerobic Fitness Information”).

Aerobic fitness is associated with the health of individuals. In the United States alone, more than 800,000 citizens die every year from heart-related complications (“Aerobic Fitness Information” para.1). These heart diseases are the number one cause of death in the United States. The risk factors for these complications include inactivity, high levels of cholesterol, excessive smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Study after study has proved that inactivity is the predominant factor responsible for heart diseases. It is two times as crucial as high levels of cholesterol and four times more crucial than high blood pressure. Therefore, aerobic exercise lowers the risk of death due to heart attack and it is a proven method of rehabilitating individuals suffering from a heart attack.

Aerobic exercises play a role in conditioning the cardiovascular system that is composed of heat and the lungs. They increase the level of oxygen present in the body and enable the heart to utilize oxygen more efficiently. It improves aerobic endurance, muscular endurance, and an individual’s exercise capacity. These cardiovascular activities when done routinely assist in diminishing the onset of heart diseases (“Stop aging-Start Training” para.2).

It has been demonstrated through studies that cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure levels can all be significantly lowered by undertaking regular cardiovascular conditioning. Reduction in high blood pressure levels has been reported even in people who already have been diagnosed as suffering from hypertension. One study particularly proved that the arteries lining (endothelium) in individuals who are aerobically active remained flexible, better able to grow and expand, and demonstrated an increased efficiency in the passage of blood platelets. Loss of this flexibility of artery lining often results in atherosclerosis and another type of heart disease (“Stop aging-Start Training” para.3).

Aerobic exercise is a vital factor during the growth and development of children and teenagers. It is also of the essence in the process of aging. The practice of aerobic fitness at the stages of active growth is an indication of a good development of the muscles, bones, and cardiovascular system. At old age, aerobic exercise is a fundamental evaluation of one’s physiological fitness. A 60-year-old person with elevated aerobic fitness may be perceived that he or is 15-20 years younger with respect to the situation of that individual’s different body systems. Moreover, they tend to have an increased life span. (“Aerobic fitness information”)

Aerobics fitness measures the capacity of one to maintain prolonged efforts, it establishes the level of fatigue that everyone gets along with in daily life. An aerobically fit person is capable of withstanding stress due to two uncommon environmental conditions: extreme heat, and high altitude. Persons who have undergone aerobic training are able to exercise much longer than untrained individuals are. These exercises boost the mood of an individual as they relieve the gloominess of depression, ease the tension linked with anxiety, and improve the relaxation of persons.

In order for weight to be lost, a calorie deficit must be created that increases the rate of burning of calories to exceed the quantities taken in. Engaging in activities that burn up high quantities of calories is an excellent way to undertake a calorie-controlled diet to assist in getting rid of the unwanted pounds in the body. As an example, 30 minutes of low-paced jogging utilizes about 300 calories of energy. This is possible of making a significant input towards realizing the essential calorie deficit for weight loss, or on the other hand, it can give one a bar of chocolate that one may feel less guilty about having a meal. Aerobic fitness is one of the best solutions when an individual wants to manage his or her weight. These exercises control the levels of blood sugar and increase the body’s metabolic rate hence is fundamental in burning more calories together with an improvement in the levels of energy of the individual.

Aerobic exercises are economical to perform. People do not need to deprive themselves of their last coins in their wallets since activities like walking, running, and many others are easy and involve fun to perform. Moreover, the body’s immune system increases on the undertaking of these activities. Unwanted diseases are eliminated from the body and significantly lower the problems associated with flu and colds alongside other health-related complications like diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, osteoporosis, and diseases of the heart. These activities improve the quality of sleep and refresh an individual’s next morning.

The superb medicine constantly tastes bitter. This can be illustrated by the example of aerobic fitness, which most of the time is underrated among the options when individuals are advised to carry them out to improve their health. How many people are aware that performing aerobic exercises is one of the proven best ways of maintaining a good healthy life? After the performance, one feels better about herself or himself and there is no one side effect associated with it. Aerobics fitness has many potential benefits that everyone should embrace in keeping the doctor away.

Works Cited

Aerobic Fitness Information. Universal fitness Tester. 1999. Web.

“Stop aging-Start Training.” Chera Wellness. 2009. Web.

“What is aerobic?” Aerobic.org. 2009. Web.

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• What Is Aerobic Exercise?
• How Much Aerobic Exercise?
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Aerobic exercise involves physical activity that increases your breathing and heart rate to fuel your body with oxygen-rich blood. Aerobic exercise helps strengthen your heart muscle, improves your lung function, and increases circulation and healthy blood flow throughout your body.

This article will describe the benefits of aerobic exercise, examples, and how to get started.

sturti / Getty Images

What Is Aerobic Exercise? 

"Aerobic" means “with oxygen,” so aerobic exercise is any physical activity that involves increased amounts of oxygen throughout your body. As you exercise, your muscles require increased oxygen to contract for a prolonged period. 

With aerobic exercise, cells undergo cellular respiration, in which oxygen and other molecules are converted into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy source for cells.

Your heart rate will increase to pump more oxygen-carrying blood throughout the body to supply more oxygen to your muscles. Your breathing rate will also increase to bring more oxygen into the body and the bloodstream.

Because aerobic exercise requires increased functioning of your heart and lungs or cardiovascular system, aerobic exercise is often called cardiovascular exercise, or “cardio.”

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise, or “with oxygen,” requires increased oxygen to supply working muscles over a prolonged period, while anaerobic training , or “without oxygen,” involves short bursts of activity in which muscles are fueled by the breakdown of their energy stores.

Benefits of Cardio 

Cardio, or aerobic exercise, is extremely beneficial for maintaining the healthy functioning of your entire body. Regular cardiovascular exercise can:

• Improve heart function and lower resting heart rate
• Improve lung function
• Improve oxygen supply throughout the body
• Improve circulation
• Decrease high blood pressure ( hypertension )
• Decrease inflammation throughout the body
• Improve mood and energy
• Decrease risk of developing conditions like diabetes , heart disease , and stroke
• Lower your blood sugar
• Lower high cholesterol and triglycerides
• Increase weight loss

Do cardio workouts help lose belly fat?

Aerobic exercise is good for weight loss as it increases your energy expenditure as your heart and lungs have to work harder to supply your exercising muscles with oxygenated blood. This increased workload burns more calories and helps to break down fat tissue, which can help you lose weight, including belly fat.

Calories burned with aerobic exercise will vary based on your weight, individual fitness level, exercise intensity, and duration of physical activity.

Examples of Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercises are generally any exercises that get your body moving for a prolonged period, such as:

• Jumping rope
• Stair climbing
• Playing sports

Aerobic Exercises to Do at Home

For many people, exercising at home can be a convenient and effective way to get moving. You essentially have the freedom to work out when you want to. While it has its advantages, there may be distractions and it might be more challenging to stay motivated.

Aerobic exercises you can perform at home include:

• Home video workouts
• HIIT workouts
• Walking, running, or cycling (around your neighborhood)

Aerobic Exercises to Do at a Gym

By joining a gym, you can access a variety of exercise equipment and receive guidance from fitness trainers. However, some drawbacks include membership fees and limited locations and hours.

Aerobic exercises you can do at the gym include:

• Running on the treadmill
• Cycling on a stationary bike
• Climbing steps on a stair machine

Aerobic Exercise Classes

One benefit of working out in a group setting is that it may help increase your motivation. Many people may also find the classes to be fun.

However, like the gym, there are costs to consider. Additionally, there may be less flexibility and a lack of personalization. Nonetheless, there are a variety of classes to choose from.

Cardio or aerobics classes may include:

How Much Aerobic Exercise Should You Do? 

Adults should participate in one of the following physical activity durations each week to promote optimal heart health and lower the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD):

• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity
• 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity physical activity
• An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous physical activity

Exercise intensity is grouped into the following categories:

• Light intensity : Walking slowly, cooking, light housework
• Moderate intensity : Brisk walking (2.4-4.0 miles per hour), bicycling (5-9 miles per hour), dancing, active yoga, recreational swimming, gardening, vacuuming, raking leaves
• Vigorous intensity : Jogging, running, hiking, bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour), swimming laps, jumping rope, aerobics, weight lifting, stair climbing, shoveling snow

The "talk test" can be used to measure the intensity of your physical activity. If you are participating in a moderate-intensity activity, you should be able to talk but not sing during the activity. If you are participating in a vigorous-intensity activity, you should not be able to say more than a few words without needing to pause to take a breath.

How to Get Started 

Sedentary individuals should start slowly and gradually increase exercise intensity, duration, and frequency. This allows the heart, lungs, and muscles to acclimate to the change in physical activity. For those new to exercise, aerobic exercise can be divided into 10-minute sessions to help make exercise more doable and achievable. 

Shorter durations of physical activity of 10 minutes or less can be just as beneficial as longer durations greater than 10 minutes, as long as the total duration of exercise throughout the week remains the same. Fifteen 10-minute exercise sessions divided throughout the week, for example, can have similar benefits as five 30-minute sessions.

If you cannot meet these recommendations, it is typically better to participate in some form of exercise rather than no exercise unless your healthcare provider advises you to avoid physical activity for medical concerns.

Risks of Aerobic Exercise

While there are many benefits to aerobic exercise, risks may include musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains, strains, bone fractures, joint pain, muscle cramps, or soreness. Other risks may include arrhythmias , heart attack , rhabdomyolysis , bronchoconstriction , and sudden cardiac death .

Always consult with your healthcare provider before beginning or increasing any exercise program to ensure that your heart, lungs, and blood vessels are healthy enough to support the increased demands of aerobic exercise.

Aerobic exercise requires increased oxygen to supply working muscles, which causes your heart rate and breathing to increase. Aerobic exercise, also called “cardio,” involves physical activity performed over a prolonged period. Aerobic exercise includes walking, hiking, running, dancing, bicycling, and playing sports.

This type of exercise helps to improve your heart and lung function, increase circulation, and decrease elevated levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation. When beginning or increasing your aerobic exercise, start slow and gradually increase over time. But, first, make sure your healthcare provider clears you.

Aerobic exercise is important to help maintain optimal heart health and lower the risk of developing inflammatory conditions that affect your entire body. Start off slowly and gradually increase your physical activity intensity, frequency, and duration to allow your body to adapt to the new activity.

National Geographic. Cellular respiration. 

Patel H, Alkhawam H, Madanieh R, Shah N, Kosmas CE, Vittorio TJ. Aerobic vs anaerobic exercise training effects on the cardiovascular system. World J Cardiol . 2017;9(2):134-138. doi:10.4330/wjc.v9.i2.134

Arnett DK, Blumenthal RS, Albert MA, et al. 2019 ACC/AHA Guideline on the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines . Circulation . 2019;140(11):e596-e646. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000678

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Measuring physical activity intensity .

Peterson DM. The benefits and risks of aerobic exercise . UpToDate .

By Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT Dr. Gasnick is a medical writer and physical therapist based out of northern New Jersey.

Physical Activity Is Good for the Mind and the Body

Health and Well-Being Matter is the monthly blog of the Director of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Everyone has their own way to “recharge” their sense of well-being — something that makes them feel good physically, emotionally, and spiritually even if they aren’t consciously aware of it. Personally, I know that few things can improve my day as quickly as a walk around the block or even just getting up from my desk and doing some push-ups. A hike through the woods is ideal when I can make it happen. But that’s me. It’s not simply that I enjoy these activities but also that they literally make me feel better and clear my mind.

Mental health and physical health are closely connected. No kidding — what’s good for the body is often good for the mind. Knowing what you can do physically that has this effect for you will change your day and your life.

Physical activity has many well-established mental health benefits. These are published in the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and include improved brain health and cognitive function (the ability to think, if you will), a reduced risk of anxiety and depression, and improved sleep and overall quality of life. Although not a cure-all, increasing physical activity directly contributes to improved mental health and better overall health and well-being.

Learning how to routinely manage stress and getting screened for depression are simply good prevention practices. Awareness is especially critical at this time of year when disruptions to healthy habits and choices can be more likely and more jarring. Shorter days and colder temperatures have a way of interrupting routines — as do the holidays, with both their joys and their stresses. When the plentiful sunshine and clear skies of temperate months give way to unpredictable weather, less daylight, and festive gatherings, it may happen unconsciously or seem natural to be distracted from being as physically active. However, that tendency is precisely why it’s so important that we are ever more mindful of our physical and emotional health — and how we can maintain both — during this time of year.

Roughly half of all people in the United States will be diagnosed with a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime, with anxiety and anxiety disorders being the most common. Major depression, another of the most common mental health disorders, is also a leading cause of disability for middle-aged adults. Compounding all of this, mental health disorders like depression and anxiety can affect people’s ability to take part in health-promoting behaviors, including physical activity. In addition, physical health problems can contribute to mental health problems and make it harder for people to get treatment for mental health disorders.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the need to take care of our physical and emotional health to light even more so these past 2 years. Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted how the pandemic has exacerbated the mental health crisis in youth .

The good news is that even small amounts of physical activity can immediately reduce symptoms of anxiety in adults and older adults. Depression has also shown to be responsive to physical activity. Research suggests that increased physical activity, of any kind, can improve depression symptoms experienced by people across the lifespan. Engaging in regular physical activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing depression in children and adults.

Though the seasons and our life circumstances may change, our basic needs do not. Just as we shift from shorts to coats or fresh summer fruits and vegetables to heartier fall food choices, so too must we shift our seasonal approach to how we stay physically active. Some of that is simply adapting to conditions: bundling up for a walk, wearing the appropriate shoes, or playing in the snow with the kids instead of playing soccer in the grass.

Sometimes there’s a bit more creativity involved. Often this means finding ways to simplify activity or make it more accessible. For example, it may not be possible to get to the gym or even take a walk due to weather or any number of reasons. In those instances, other options include adding new types of movement — such as impromptu dance parties at home — or doing a few household chores (yes, it all counts as physical activity).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I built a makeshift gym in my garage as an alternative to driving back and forth to the gym several miles from home. That has not only saved me time and money but also afforded me the opportunity to get 15 to 45 minutes of muscle-strengthening physical activity in at odd times of the day.

For more ideas on how to get active — on any day — or for help finding the motivation to get started, check out this Move Your Way® video .

The point to remember is that no matter the approach, the Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (anything that gets your heart beating faster) each week and at least 2 days per week of muscle-strengthening activity (anything that makes your muscles work harder than usual). Youth need 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Preschool-aged children ages 3 to 5 years need to be active throughout the day — with adult caregivers encouraging active play — to enhance growth and development. Striving toward these goals and then continuing to get physical activity, in some shape or form, contributes to better health outcomes both immediately and over the long term.

For youth, sports offer additional avenues to more physical activity and improved mental health. Youth who participate in sports may enjoy psychosocial health benefits beyond the benefits they gain from other forms of leisure-time physical activity. Psychological health benefits include higher levels of perceived competence, confidence, and self-esteem — not to mention the benefits of team building, leadership, and resilience, which are important skills to apply on the field and throughout life. Research has also shown that youth sports participants have a reduced risk of suicide and suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Additionally, team sports participation during adolescence may lead to better mental health outcomes in adulthood (e.g., less anxiety and depression) for people exposed to adverse childhood experiences. In addition to the physical and mental health benefits, sports can be just plain fun.

Physical activity’s implications for significant positive effects on mental health and social well-being are enormous, impacting every facet of life. In fact, because of this national imperative, the presidential executive order that re-established the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition explicitly seeks to “expand national awareness of the importance of mental health as it pertains to physical fitness and nutrition.” While physical activity is not a substitute for mental health treatment when needed and it’s not the answer to certain mental health challenges, it does play a significant role in our emotional and cognitive well-being.

No matter how we choose to be active during the holiday season — or any season — every effort to move counts toward achieving recommended physical activity goals and will have positive impacts on both the mind and the body. Along with preventing diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and the additional risks associated with these comorbidities, physical activity’s positive effect on mental health is yet another important reason to be active and Move Your Way .

As for me… I think it’s time for a walk. Happy and healthy holidays, everyone!

Yours in health, Paul

Paul Reed, MD Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Director, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

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Real-Life Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity

On this page:

Why is physical activity important?

Emotional benefits of exercise.

Exercise and physical activity are good for just about everyone, including older adults. No matter your health and physical abilities, you can gain a lot by staying active. In fact, studies show that “taking it easy” is risky. Often, inactivity is more to blame than age when older people lose the ability to do things on their own. Lack of physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses.

Including all 4 types of exercise can benefit a wide range of areas of your life. Staying active can help you:

• Keep and improve your strength so you can stay independent
• Have more energy to do the things you want to do and reduce fatigue
• Improve your balance and lower risk of falls and injuries from falls
• Manage and prevent some diseases like arthritis, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and 8 types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer
• Sleep better at home
• Reduce levels of stress and anxiety
• Reach or maintain a healthy weight and reduce risk of excessive weight gain
• Control your blood pressure
• Possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function , such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks or plan an activity
• Perk up your mood and reduce feelings of depression

Research has shown that exercise is not only good for your physical health, it also supports emotional and mental health. You can exercise with a friend and get the added benefit of emotional support. So, next time you’re feeling down, anxious, or stressed, try to get up and start moving!

Physical activity can help:

• Reduce feelings of depression and stress, while improving your mood and overall emotional well-being
• Increase your energy level
• Improve sleep
• Empower you to feel more in control

In addition, exercise and physical activity may possibly improve or maintain some aspects of cognitive function , such as your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity, and ignore irrelevant information.

Here are some exercise ideas to help you lift your mood:

• Walking, bicycling, or dancing. Endurance activities increase your breathing, get your heart pumping, and boost chemicals in your body that may improve mood.
• Yoga. This mind and body practice typically combines physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation.
• Tai Chi. This "moving meditation" involves shifting the body slowly, gently, and precisely, while breathing deeply.
• Activities you enjoy. Whether it’s gardening, playing tennis, kicking around a soccer ball with your grandchildren, or something else, choose an activity you want to do, not one you have to do.

You may also be interested in

• Finding tips to help stay motivated to exercise
• Exploring safety tips for exercising outdoors
• Reading about the four types of exercise

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This content is provided by the NIH National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA scientists and other experts review this content to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

Content reviewed: April 3, 2020

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Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity.

You know exercise is good for you, but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life.

Want to feel better, have more energy and even add years to your life? Just exercise.

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age, sex or physical ability.

Need more convincing to get moving? Check out these seven ways that exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.

1. Exercise controls weight

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help you keep off lost weight. When you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn.

Regular trips to the gym are great, but don't worry if you can't find a large chunk of time to exercise every day. Any amount of activity is better than none. To gain the benefits of exercise, just get more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores. Consistency is key.

2. Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight is, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the "good" cholesterol, and it decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which lowers your risk of heart and blood vessel, called cardiovascular, diseases.

Regular exercise helps prevent or manage many health problems and concerns, including:

• Metabolic syndrome.
• High blood pressure.
• Type 2 diabetes.
• Depression.
• Many types of cancer.

It also can help improve cognitive function and helps lower the risk of death from all causes.

3. Exercise improves mood

Need an emotional lift? Or need to lower stress after a stressful day? A gym session or brisk walk can help. Physical activity stimulates many brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

You also may feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

4. Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance.

Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lung health improve, you have more energy to tackle daily chores.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to snooze? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep. Just don't exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

6. Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can improve energy levels and give you more confidence about your physical appearance, which may boost your sex life.

But there's even more to it than that. Regular physical activity may enhance arousal for women. And men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise.

7. Exercise can be fun — and social!

Exercise and physical activity can be fun. They give you a chance to unwind, enjoy the outdoors or simply do activities that make you happy. Physical activity also can help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting.

So take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.

Exercise to feel better and have fun

Exercise and physical activity are great ways to feel better, boost your health and have fun. For most healthy adults, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:

Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity. Or get at least 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. You also can get an equal combination of moderate and vigorous activity. Aim to spread out this exercise over a few days or more in a week.

For even more health benefits, the guidelines suggest getting 300 minutes a week or more of moderate aerobic activity. Exercising this much may help with weight loss or keeping off lost weight. But even small amounts of physical activity can be helpful. Being active for short periods of time during the day can add up and have health benefits.

• Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. One set of each exercise is enough for health and fitness benefits. Use a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

Moderate aerobic exercise includes activities such as brisk walking, biking, swimming and mowing the lawn.

Vigorous aerobic exercise includes activities such as running, swimming laps, heavy yardwork and aerobic dancing.

You can do strength training by using weight machines or free weights, your own body weight, heavy bags, or resistance bands. You also can use resistance paddles in the water or do activities such as rock climbing.

If you want to lose weight, keep off lost weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more.

Remember to check with a health care professional before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any concerns about your fitness or haven't exercised for a long time. Also check with a health care professional if you have chronic health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes or arthritis.

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• AskMayoExpert. Physical activity (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2021.
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity/current-guidelines. Accessed June 25, 2021.
• Peterson DM. The benefits and risk of aerobic exercise. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed June 24, 2021.
• Maseroli E, et al. Physical activity and female sexual dysfunction: A lot helps, but not too much. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.jsxm.2021.04.004.
• Allen MS. Physical activity as an adjunct treatment for erectile dysfunction. Nature Reviews: Urology. 2019; doi:10.1038/s41585-019-0210-6.
• Tips for starting physical activity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/tips-get-active/tips-starting-physical-activity. Accessed June 25, 2021.
• Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. June 16, 2021.

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Importance of Exercise Essay

500 words essay on exercise essay.

Exercise is basically any physical activity that we perform on a repetitive basis for relaxing our body and taking away all the mental stress. It is important to do regular exercise. When you do this on a daily basis, you become fit both physically and mentally. Moreover, not exercising daily can make a person susceptible to different diseases. Thus, just like eating food daily, we must also exercise daily. The importance of exercise essay will throw more light on it.

Importance of Exercise

Exercising is most essential for proper health and fitness. Moreover, it is essential for every sphere of life. Especially today’s youth need to exercise more than ever. It is because the junk food they consume every day can hamper their quality of life.

If you are not healthy, you cannot lead a happy life and won’t be able to contribute to the expansion of society. Thus, one needs to exercise to beat all these problems. But, it is not just about the youth but also about every member of the society.

These days, physical activities take places in colleges more than often. The professionals are called to the campus for organizing physical exercises. Thus, it is a great opportunity for everyone who wishes to do it.

Just like exercise is important for college kids, it is also essential for office workers. The desk job requires the person to sit at the desk for long hours without breaks. This gives rise to a very unhealthy lifestyle.

They get a limited amount of exercise as they just sit all day then come back home and sleep. Therefore, it is essential to exercise to adopt a healthy lifestyle that can also prevent any damaging diseases .

Benefits of Exercise

Exercise has a lot of benefits in today’s world. First of all, it helps in maintaining your weight. Moreover, it also helps you reduce weight if you are overweight. It is because you burn calories when you exercise.

Further, it helps in developing your muscles. Thus, the rate of your body will increases which helps to burn calories. Moreover, it also helps in improving the oxygen level and blood flow of the body.

When you exercise daily, your brain cells will release frequently. This helps in producing cells in the hippocampus. Moreover, it is the part of the brain which helps to learn and control memory.

The concentration level in your body will improve which will ultimately lower the danger of disease like Alzheimer’s. In addition, you can also reduce the strain on your heart through exercise. Finally, it controls the blood sugar levels of your body so it helps to prevent or delay diabetes.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of Importance of Exercise Essay

In order to live life healthily, it is essential to exercise for mental and physical development. Thus, exercise is important for the overall growth of a person. It is essential to maintain a balance between work, rest and activities. So, make sure to exercise daily.

FAQ of Importance of Exercise Essay

Question 1: What is the importance of exercise?

Answer 1: Exercise helps people lose weight and lower the risk of some diseases. When you exercise daily, you lower the risk of developing some diseases like obesity, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and more. It also helps to keep your body at a healthy weight.

Question 2: Why is exercising important for students?

Answer 2: Exercising is important for students because it helps students to enhance their cardiorespiratory fitness and build strong bones and muscles. In addition, it also controls weight and reduces the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Further, it can also reduce the risk of health conditions like heart diseases and more.

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• School Education /

Essay on Exercise in 500+ Words for Students in English

• Updated on  
• Jun 25, 2024

What are your physical fitness goals? How much do you weigh? Do you plan on running a marathon next year? The goal of all these questions is different but they involve a set of similar activities; Exercises. Physical exercises are activities that improve or maintain physical fitness and overall health. Engaging in exercise helps individuals stay physically fit and promotes mental well-being. Today, we will discuss an essay on exercise for students to highlight its importance and benefits.

Table of Contents

• 1 Why do we Exercise?
• 2 Types of Exercise
• 3 Should We Make Exercise a Habit?

Why do we Exercise?

Exercise is like any activity that requires physical effort and helps maintain physical fitness and overall health. When we exercise, our bodies undergo numerous physiological changes, such as an increase in heart rate, which further pumps more oxygen-rich blood to our muscles. This delivery of oxygen further benefits the muscles’ ability to perform efficiently and helps improve cardiovascular perseverance. 

The above effects further lead to improvements and long-term adaptations in our bodies. Further regular exercise also leads to: 

• Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of heart disease and improves cardiovascular health conditions. 
• Methodical exercise benefits in strengthening the muscles and making them more resistant to fatigue.
• Weight-bearing exercises help restore bone formation and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. 
• Exercise can improve insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels. 

As per the study published in The Lancet Psychiatry in 2018, people who exercised were found with 43.2 percent fewer days of poor mental health than those who did not exercise. The numbers are sufficient enough to elaborate on the powerful link between physical activity and the importance of mental health in our lives.

Quick Read: Essay on Athletics

Types of Exercise

Now, as you come to know about the importance of exercise in our daily lives, similarly, it should also be noted that not all exercises are equally effective. Different physical activities offer unique benefits. 

To understand it more, let us learn about some main categories of exercises:

1. Aerobic exercise: Aerobic exercise is also known as cardiovascular exercise. This physical activity helps increase heart rate and breathing. Examples of aerobic exercise include running, cycling, swimming, and brisk walking. It is important to know that Aerobic exercise is an excellent workout for cardiovascular health and calorie burning.

2. Strength Training: A strength training exercise that works against resistance to build muscle strength. This type of exercise includes weightlifting, bodyweight training, and resistance band workouts. Strength training is important for the growing age as it helps maintain muscle mass. 

3. Flexibility Exercises: Flexibility exercises include stretching and practicing yoga. These physical activities improve in range of motion, reduce the risk of injury, and also help in the relaxation of muscle tension. 

4. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT involves exercises of intense activity followed by periods of rest or lower-intensity workouts. This type of exercise is highly effective for improving fitness and burning calories in a short amount of time. 

Quick Read: International Olympic Day Essay

Should We Make Exercise a Habit?

Although we all know the benefits of exercise, many people still struggle to make it a regular part of their lives. To overcome this hurdle, here are some strategies that could help one make exercise a regular habit.

• Begin your workouts with goals that can be easily achieved. Doing 10 minutes of exercise a day is better than none. 
• Find activities that you enjoy. Doing exercise does not mean going to the gym. Dancing, hiking, or sports serve the same purpose that is counted as exercise.
• Schedule your exercise like any other important appointment in your daily schedule. Mark your calendar and stick to it.
• Find friends or a team to exercise with. Support of social groups increases one´s motivation and makes exercise more enjoyable.
• The market is full of fitness applications. Find a fitness app and wearable devices that help keep track of your progress and motivate you. 
• 75 to 150 minutes per week of aerobic exercise and 150 to 300 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity help reduce the mortality of cardiovascular disease by 22% to 31%

Exercise is a powerful tool that not only helps one physically but mentally. Understanding the benefits of exercises, exploring the types of workouts, and developing strategies for doing regular aerobics helps enhance one´s well-being. 

Either go for a brisk walk or do a yoga session, find whatever works for you. Physical activity should be a joyful part of your daily life and trust that your body and mind will thank you for it. 

Also Read: Essay on Fitness

Ans: We all have physical fitness goals and every type of exercise can help us achieve our goals. Exercise keeps us healthy, strong, and energetic. Further, it improves one´s mood, helps in sleeping better, and reduces the risk of health diseases. 

Ans: Exercise improves focus and memory. Workouts help boost self-confidence and lessen the symptoms of anxiety and depression. 

Ans: Exercise strengthens one body, improves the health of the heart, and maintains a healthy weight. It increases energy, boosts flexibility, and strengthens the immune system.

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Deepika Joshi

Deepika Joshi is an experienced content writer with educational and informative content expertise. She has hands-on experience in Education, Study Abroad and EdTech SaaS. Her strengths lie in conducting thorough research and analysis to provide accurate and up-to-date information to readers. She enjoys staying updated on new skills and knowledge, particularly in the education domain. In her free time, she loves to read articles, and blogs related to her field to expand her expertise further. In her personal life, she loves creative writing and aspires to connect with innovative people who have fresh ideas to offer.

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Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise

It is widely accepted that regular physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular health. Frequent exercise is robustly associated with a decrease in cardiovascular mortality as well as the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Physically active individuals have lower blood pressure, higher insulin sensitivity, and a more favorable plasma lipoprotein profile. Animal models of exercise show that repeated physical activity suppresses atherogenesis and increases the availability of vasodilatory mediators such as nitric oxide. Exercise has also been found to have beneficial effects on the heart. Acutely, exercise increases cardiac output and blood pressure, but individuals adapted to exercise show lower resting heart rate and cardiac hypertrophy. Both cardiac and vascular changes have been linked to a variety of changes in tissue metabolism and signaling, although our understanding of the contribution of the underlying mechanisms remains incomplete. Even though moderate levels of exercise have been found to be consistently associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease risk, there is evidence to suggest that continuously high levels of exercise (e.g., marathon running) could have detrimental effects on cardiovascular health. Nevertheless, a specific dose response relationship between the extent and duration of exercise and the reduction in cardiovascular disease risk and mortality remains unclear. Further studies are needed to identify the mechanisms that impart cardiovascular benefits of exercise in order to develop more effective exercise regimens, test the interaction of exercise with diet, and develop pharmacological interventions for those unwilling or unable to exercise.

Introduction

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In the United States, CVD accounts for ~600,000 deaths (25%) each year ( 1 , 2 ), and after a continuous decline over the last 5 decades, its incidence is increasing again ( 3 ). Among the many risk factors that predispose to CVD development and progression, a sedentary lifestyle, characterized by consistently low levels of physical activity, is now recognized as a leading contributor to poor cardiovascular health. Conversely, regular exercise and physical activity are associated with remarkable widespread health benefits and a significantly lower CVD risk. Several long-term studies have shown that increased physical activity is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality and may modestly increase life expectancy, an effect which is strongly linked to a decline in the risk of developing cardiovascular and respiratory diseases ( 4 ). Consistent with this notion, death rates among men and women have been found to be inversely related to cardiorespiratory fitness levels, even in the presence of other predictors of cardiovascular mortality such as smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia ( 5 ). Moreover, better fitness levels in both men and women can partially reverse the elevated rates of all-cause mortality as well as CVD mortality associated with high body mass index ( 6 , 7 ). Recent work from cardiovascular cohorts shows that sustained physical activity is associated with a more favorable inflammatory marker profile, decreases heart failure risk, and improves survival at 30 years follow-up in individuals with coronary artery disease ( 8 – 10 ).

Despite the robust beneficial effects of physical activity and exercise on cardiovascular health, the processes and mechanisms by which frequent physical activity promotes cardiorespiratory fitness and decreases CVD risk remain unclear. In the past several decades, considerable research effort has aimed to identify the major physiological and biochemical contributors to the cardiovascular benefits of exercise, and as a result, significant advances have been made from observational and interventional studies with human participants. In parallel, valuable mechanistic insights have been garnered from experimental studies in animal models. Thus, in this review, we provide a synopsis of the major known effects of exercise and physical activity on principal factors associated with risk for poor cardiovascular health including blood lipids, hypertension, and arterial stiffness. For the purpose of the review, we follow the definition of exercise as “a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive and has as a final or an intermediate objective the improvement or maintenance of physical fitness ( 11 ).” These characteristics distinguish exercise from less structured and planned physical activity, which is often not solely for the purpose of maintaining or improving physical fitness. Most long-term observational studies report levels of physical activity, whereas more controlled and short duration studies examine the effects of exercise. Throughout the text, we distinguish between these two types of activities to the extent possible. We also discuss the means by which a healthy cardiovascular system adapts to exercise conditioning as well as recently proposed mechanisms of adaptation that may work to antagonize cardiovascular disease.

Plasma lipids and atherogenesis

Given the centrality of plasma lipids as key determinants of CVD risk, many studies have tested whether regular engagement in physical activity may lower CVD risk by affecting the levels of circulating lipoproteins. These studies have found that endurance training is associated with elevated levels of circulating high density lipoprotein (HDL) and, to a lesser extent, a reduction in triglyceride levels ( 12 )—both changes that can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease ( 13 ). Nonetheless, results concerning the effects of physical activity on plasma lipids have been variable and confounded by an apparent dependence on the type, intensity, and duration of exercise as well as diet ( 14 ). In addition, early studies aimed at determining effects of physical activity on low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels did not test the dose-dependence of exercise. However, a study of subjects with mild to moderate dyslipidemia, randomized into high amount/high intensity (23 kcal/kg/wk, jogging), low amount/high intensity (14 kcal/kg/wk, jogging), and low amount/moderate intensity (14 kcal/kg/wk, walking) exercise training groups over a 6 months period, found a dose-dependent effect of exercise on plasma levels of LDL, triglycerides, and large particle, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) ( 15 ). Increasing levels of exercise over time were also found in this study to increase HDL from baseline (pre-exercise regimen) levels. Although higher levels of HDL are associated lower CVD risk ( 16 , 17 ), recent work suggests that some pharmacological interventions that elevate plasma HDL levels fail to reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events ( 18 , 19 ). Nevertheless, HDL particle size is a key determinant of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1)-mediated cholesterol efflux ( 20 ), indicating that HDL particle size may be an important correlate of CVD risk. Hence, an increase in the size of LDL and HDL particles and a decrease in VLDL particle size, rather than HDL levels per se , upon exercise training ( 15 ) may impart CVD risk protection. In agreement with this view a recent study investigating the dose-dependent effects of exercise on cholesterol efflux in 2 randomized trials consisting of six distinct exercise doses reported a significant increase in HDL cholesterol and efflux capacity with exercise, albeit in the high amount/high intensity intervention groups only ( 21 ). Thus, even though exercise alters plasma lipid profile and increases HDL concentration and particle size, moderate exercise may produce only limited effects on HDL functionality and the contribution of changes in plasma lipoprotein concentration, structure, and function to overall reduction in CVD risk by exercise remains unclear.

In addition to changes in plasma lipids, exercise could directly impact the homeostasis of the arterial wall to antagonize the progression of atherosclerotic disease and thereby contribute to the well-documented reduction in coronary artery disease in people with active lifestyles, when compared with sedentary individuals ( 22 – 25 ). Even in people with symptomatic coronary artery disease, an increase in regular physical activity can improve VO 2 max and, at high doses (~2,200 kcal/week), promote regression of atherosclerotic lesions ( 26 ). In patients with stable CAD, 4 weeks of rowing or cycling led to enhanced vasodilatory responses to acetylcholine, which was associated with increased total endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and eNOS, and protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation ( 27 ). That exercise stimulates NO production is supported by animal studies. For instance, it has been reported that carotid arteries from exercised ApoE −/− mice exhibit elevated eNOS expression and suppressed neointimal formation after injury when compared with those from sedentary ApoE −/− control mice ( 28 ). In contrast, aorta from sedentary mice kept in normal housing conditions exhibit increased vascular lipid peroxidation and superoxide levels, which may contribute to endothelial dysfunction and lesion formation, when compared with mice subjected to 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running ( 29 ). Regular, but not intermittent, physical activity in high cholesterol diet-fed LDLR-null mice has also been found to rescue aortic valve endothelial integrity, reduce inflammatory cell recruitment, and prevent aortic valve calcification ( 30 ), which raises the possibility that exercise may reduce the development and progression of degenerative aortic valve disease. Despite this evidence, it remains unclear to what extent salutary changes in blood lipids and vascular function contribute to the cardiovascular benefits of exercise and further studies are required to quantify both lipid-dependent and lipid-independent effects of physical activity.

Insulin sensitivity

The association between blood lipids and cardiovascular health is highly influenced by systemic insulin sensitivity, and resistance to insulin signaling is known to promote the development of heart disease, in part by altering the blood lipid profile ( 31 ). Resistance of adipocytes to the effects of insulin and resulting reduction in glucose uptake leads to the increased release of free fatty acids and greater production and release of triglycerides, and VLDL by the liver ( 32 ). In addition, reduced HDL in the insulin resistant state, resulting in part from increased activity of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP), and transfer of cholesteryl esters from HDL to triglyceride-rich lipoproteins ( 33 ), suppresses reverse cholesterol transport from the arterial wall and promotes atherosclerotic plaque formation.

Insulin signaling within the vascular endothelium promotes Akt-dependent phosphorylation and activation of eNOS, which produces the vasodilator - NO. This, however, is antagonized by the activation of the Ras-RAF-MAPK pathway that stimulates cell growth and differentiation and increases the production of the potent vasoconstrictor - endothelin-1 (ET-1) ( 34 , 35 ). During diabetes, selective inhibition of the PI3K-Akt-eNOS pathway, together with compensatory hyperinsulinemia leads to unmasking and stimulation of the MAPK-mediated production of endothelin-1 (ET-1) ( 36 , 37 ), and vascular smooth muscle proliferation, which could contribute to atherosclerotic plaque development and peripheral artery disease ( 38 , 39 ). Enhanced endothelial production and secretion of ET-1, along with heightened sympathetic activity may represent key contributing factors in enhanced vasoconstriction of small diameter arteries and arterioles in the insulin-resistant state, thereby increasing systemic vascular resistance to blood flow and elevating arterial blood pressure. In addition, as a hallmark of diabetes and insulin-resistance, elevated blood glucose levels also accelerate the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), proteins and lipids that have undergone non-enzymatic glycation and oxidation, leading to cross-linking of collagen and elastin fibers and loss of vascular compliance (i.e., arterial stiffening) ( 40 , 41 ).

A number of studies have shown that individuals with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus have improved sensitivity to insulin and improved glycemic control after exercise training ( 42 – 44 ). Indeed, it has been found that even a single low-intensity (50% VO 2 max, 350 kcal expended) exercise session results in significantly improved insulin sensitivity and fatty acid uptake upon examination on the following day ( 45 ). Studies in animal models of exercise suggest that increased physical activity can improve insulin sensitivity in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and endothelium ( 46 – 49 ), which are major contributors to systemic insulin resistance in individuals with type 2 diabetes. While our understanding of the precise cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the enhancement of insulin signaling following exercise has been hampered by inconsistent results across species and exercise protocols, it appears that exercise conditioning is associated with adaptive remodeling in the expression or regulation of one or more components of the insulin receptor/insulin receptor substrate (IRS)/PI3K/Akt signaling cascade ( 50 – 52 ). During exercise, insulin levels are slightly reduced and frequently contracting muscle exhibits greater glucose uptake via enhanced insulin-independent sarcolemmal translocation of GLUT4 glucose transporters ( 53 – 55 ). Moreover, muscle damage associated with eccentric exercise can paradoxically cause insulin resistance via TNF-α-mediated reductions in PI3K activity ( 56 – 59 ). Thus, further research is required to elucidate how certain exercise regimens can promote tissue-specific adaptations in insulin-signaling and how these pathways may be targeted to reverse insulin-resistance and associated cardiovascular complications of diabetes.

Blood pressure

During exercise, increases in cardiac stroke volume and heart rate raise cardiac output, which coupled with a transient increase in systemic vascular resistance, elevate mean arterial blood pressure ( 60 ). However, long-term exercise can promote a net reduction in blood pressure at rest. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled interventional studies found that regular moderate to intense exercise performed 3–5 times per week lowers blood pressure by an average of 3.4/2.4 mmHg ( 61 ). While this change may appear small, recent work shows that even a 1 mmHg reduction in systolic BP is associated with 20.3 fewer (blacks) or 13.3 fewer (whites) heart failure events per 100,000 person-years ( 62 ). Thus, reductions in blood pressure observed when exercise is included as a behavioral intervention along with dietary modification and weight loss ( 63 , 64 ) could have a significant impact on CVD incidence.

Lower ambulatory blood pressure, associated with chronic aerobic and resistance exercise, is thought to be driven largely by a chronic reduction in systemic vascular resistance ( 65 ). Contributing to this effect, shear forces, as well as released metabolites from active skeletal muscle during exercise, signal the production and release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostacyclin from the vascular endothelium, which promotes enhanced vasodilation via relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cells ( 66 ). This effect is especially significant because a reduction in eNOS activity that occurs with aging or due to NOS3 polymorphism, has been reported to contribute to hypertension ( 67 – 69 ). Long-term exercise training increases eNOS expression as well as NO production in hypertensive individuals, consistent with the blood pressure lowering effect of physical activity ( 70 ). An important role of NO in mediating the vascular effects of exercise is further supported by results showing that rats with hypertension induced by chronic NOS inhibition undergoing a swimming exercise regimen for 6 weeks have significantly elevated eNOS protein expression and improved acetylcholine-induced vasodilation ( 71 ). Thus, improvements in NO production and bioavailability appear to represent significant factors that contribute to improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation following exercise training, which can reduce resting vascular resistance and lower blood pressure. However, in addition to NO-mediated reductions in resistance vascular tone, adaptive reductions in sympathetic nerve activity, prevention or reversal of arterial stiffening, and suppression of inflammation are also likely contributors to the blood pressure lowering effects of exercise, although the impact of exercise on these outcomes may be population specific (e.g., at-risk versus healthy adults) ( 72 – 74 ). As with changes in blood lipid profile, it remains unclear to what extent the blood pressure lowering effects of exercise can account for the beneficial effects of exercise on CVD risk and mortality.

Cardiac adaptations

During exercise, the heart is subjected to intermittent hemodynamic stresses of pressure overload, volume overload, or both. To normalize such stress and to meet the systemic demand for an increased blood supply, the heart undergoes morphological adaptation to recurrent exercise by increasing its mass, primarily through an increase in ventricular chamber wall thickness. This augmentation of heart size is primarily the result of an increase in the size of individual terminally differentiated cardiac myocytes ( 75 ). Adaptive remodeling of the heart in response to exercise typically occurs with preservation or enhancement of contractile function. This contrasts with pathologic remodeling due to chronic sustained pressure overload (e.g., during hypertension or aortic stenosis), which can proceed to a loss of contractile function and heart failure ( 76 ).

Recent work in experimental animal exercise models has identified several cellular and molecular alterations involved in the physiologic growth program of the heart that accompanies exercise conditioning. Whereas pathologic remodeling of the heart is associated with a reduction in oxidative energy production via fatty acid oxidation and more reliance on glucose utilization, mitochondrial biogenesis and capacity for fatty acid oxidation are enhanced following exercise ( 77 , 78 ). A recent study suggests that changes in myocardial glycolytic activity during acute exercise and the subsequent recovery period can also play an important role in regulating the expression of metabolic genes and cardiac remodeling ( 79 ). Possibly upstream of these metabolic changes, studies have also revealed a dominant role for IGF-1 and insulin receptor signaling, via the PI3K/Akt1 pathway leading to the activation of transcriptional pathways associated with protein synthesis and hypertrophy ( 80 , 81 ). Untargeted approaches have identified other major determinants of transcriptional programs that drive the exercise-induced hypertrophic response. For instance, it has been reported that exercise-induced reduction in the expression of CCAAT-enhancer binding protein β (C/EBPβ) relieves its negative regulation by CBP/p300-interactive transactivator with ED-rich carboxy-terminal domain-4 (Cited4) ( 82 ). Activation of Cited4 has been found to be necessary for exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy, and cardiac-specific overexpression of the gene is sufficient to increase heart mass and protect against ischemia/reperfusion injury ( 83 ). Other transcriptional pathways known to be activated by pathologic stimuli and cardiac hypertrophy, such as NFATc2, are decreased in exercise models ( 79 , 84 ), suggesting that some signaling pathways activated during exercise-induced growth program may directly antagonize specific factors that promote pathological remodeling.

In addition to metabolic and molecular remodeling, exercise can also promote functional adaptation of the heart, which may ultimately increase cardiac output and reduce the risk of arrhythmia. Clinical studies have shown that exercise-trained individuals have improved systolic and diastolic function ( 85 , 86 ), while results of studies using animal models of exercise show that endurance exercise promotes enhanced cardiomyocyte contraction-relaxation velocities and force generation ( 87 – 90 ). This effect of exercise on cardiomyocyte contractile function may be related to alterations in the rise and decay rates of intracellular Ca 2+ transients, possibly due to enhanced coupling efficiency between L-type Ca 2+ channel-mediated Ca 2+ entry and activation of subsarcolemmal ryanodine receptors (RyR; i.e., calcium-induced calcium release), and increased expression and activity of the sarcoendoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ ATPase (SERCA2a) and sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) ( 88 , 91 , 92 ). In addition, the sensitivity of the cardiomyocyte contractile apparatus may also become more sensitive to Ca 2+ , thus producing a greater force of contraction at a given [Ca 2+] i , following exercise, ( 93 ). These changes may at least partially depend on upregulation of the Na + /H + antiporter and altered regulation of intracellular pH.

During pathologic remodeling of the heart, electrical instability can result from a lack of upregulation of key cardiac ion channel subunits associated with action potential repolarization relative to an increase in myocyte size ( 94 ). In contrast, increased myocyte size in physiological hypertrophy is associated with the upregulation of depolarizing and repolarizing currents, which may be protective against abnormal electrical signaling in the adapted heart ( 95 , 96 ). For example, cardiac myocytes isolated from mice after 4 weeks of swim training were found to have elevated outward K + current densities (i.e., I to,f , I K,slow , I ss , and I K1 ) and increased expression of underlying molecular component Kv and Kir subunits in parallel with increases in total protein levels ( 96 ). Interestingly, a follow up study found that while increases in K + channel subunit expression following exercise training requires PI3K, these changes occur independently of Akt1 and hypertrophy ( 97 ).

Blood and vasculature

The oxygen carrying capacity of blood, determined by the number of circulating erythrocytes and their associated intracellular hemoglobin concentration, is an important determinant of exercise performance and resistance to fatigue ( 98 ). High endurance athletes commonly have “athlete's anemia,” possibly due to loss of erythrocytes, or low hematocrit secondary to an expansion of plasma volume ( 99 ). Yet, overall total erythrocyte mass is increased in athletes, especially those who train at high altitude ( 100 ). This is in part due to a dose-dependent effect of O 2 on hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-mediated erythropoietin production as well as upregulation of erythropoietin receptors, iron transporters, and transferrins ( 101 ). Multiple studies have shown that hematopoiesis is enhanced immediately following exercise ( 102 , 103 ). Intense exercise is associated with the release of a variety of stress and inflammatory factors that are active on the bone marrow such as cortisol, IL-6, TNF-α, PMN elastase, and granulocyte colony stimulating factor ( 104 – 106 ). Although HPCs appear to modestly decline in the period immediately following an exercise session in conditioned runners, one study found that circulating CD34 + hematopoietic progenitor cell counts were 3- to 4-fold higher in runners vs. non-runners at baseline ( 102 ), which may represent an adaptive response that facilitates tissue repair. A subsequent study found that a bout of intense exercise was associated with a release of CD34 + /KDR + endothelial progenitor cells from the bone marrow and that this effect was enhanced in individuals with elevated LDL/HDL and LDL/TC profiles ( 107 ). Likewise, a significant increase in the number of circulating EPCs, associated with increased levels of VEGF, HIF-1α, and EPO was found within hours after varying intensities of resistance training in women ( 108 ). Nonetheless, the physiological significance of these responses remains unclear, as the effects of exercise on angiogenesis and the wound healing response have not been systematically studied.

The resistance arterial vascular network also undergoes functional and structural adaptation to exercise ( 109 ). During acute exercise, small arteries and pre-capillary arterioles that supply blood to the skeletal muscles must dilate to increase blood flow through the release of vasodilatory signals (e.g., adenosine, lactate, K + , H + , CO 2 ) from active surrounding muscle ( 110 – 112 ). Repeated exercise leads to an adaptive response in skeletal muscle arterioles that includes increased vascular density coupled with greater vasodilatory capacity, such that enhanced perfusion can occur after conditioning ( 113 – 116 ). This may be partly due to adaptation of the endothelium to the complex interplay of recurrent variations in hemodynamic stresses and vasodilatory stimuli of exercise. Endothelial synthesis of NO is greatly increased at rest and during exercise in conditioned individuals/animals ( 117 ). A similar adaptive response to exercise has also been noted in the coronary vasculature, which must dilate to meet the increased metabolic demands of the myocardium ( 118 ). Exercise-trained humans and animals demonstrate reduced myocardial blood flow at rest, which may reflect a reduction in cardiac oxygen consumption primarily as a result of lower resting heart rate ( 119 , 120 ). However, a large body of evidence suggests that multiple mechanisms converge to enhance the ability of the coronary circulation to deliver a greater supply of oxygen to the conditioned myocardium during exercise. This includes structural adaptations consisting of an expansion in the density of intramyocardial arterioles and capillaries as well as enhanced microvascular collateral formation ( 121 – 124 ). Additionally, like skeletal muscle arterioles, coronary arterial network enhances its responsiveness to vasoactive stimuli via a number of distinct mechanisms including, but not limited to, augmentation of endothelial NO production, altered responsiveness to adrenergic stimuli, or changes in the metabolic regulation of vascular tone ( 125 – 127 ). In addition, some studies implicate hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-mediated vasodilation in opposing exertion-induced arterial dysfunction in overweight obese adults after a period of exercise training ( 128 , 129 ), suggesting enhanced contribution of NO-independent mechanisms to improved microvascular endothelial function with exercise. Collectively, these adaptations may act to support enhanced myocardial function and increased cardiac output during repeated exercise, and increased total body oxygen demand following exercise conditioning. Further advancement of our understanding of how blood flow is improved in response to exercise could lead to novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or reverse organ failure in patients resulting from inadequate blood flow.

Concluding remarks and remaining questions to be addressed

Despite the extensive body of knowledge documenting the unequivocal health benefits of exercise, a vast majority of Americans do not engage in sufficient physical activity ( 130 ). Nonetheless, mortality risk reduction appears with even small bouts of daily exercise and peak at 50–60 min of vigorous exercise each day ( 131 ). However, the question remains as to how much exercise is optimal for cardiovascular health benefit. Studies in endurance runners show that the frequency of adverse cardiovascular events in marathoners is equivalent to that in a population with established CHD, suggesting that too much exercise may be detrimental ( 132 ). An upper limit for the cardiovascular benefits of exercise is further supported by a recent study showing that individuals who completed at least 25 marathons over a period of 25 years have higher than expected levels of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and calcified coronary plaque volume when compared with sedentary individuals ( 133 ). A recent investigation also showed that individuals who maintain very high levels of physical activity (~3 times recommended levels) have higher odds of developing CAC, particularly in white males ( 134 ). In contrast, other studies report greater plaque stability due to calcification in exercisers, thus indicating that with higher levels of physical activity, plaque quality may be favorably impacted to lower the risk of cardiovascular events, despite a higher incidence of plaques and normal CAC scores ( 135 , 136 ). Nevertheless, as with other effects of exercise, the shape of the dose-response curve remains obscure and it is not clear at what levels of intensity and duration the effects of exercise begin to taper and where they start to become detrimental. It is also unknown how this threshold of transition from benefit to harm is affected by personal demographic features such as age, sex, ethnicity, and baseline CVD risk.

Other remaining questions are: can initiation of regular exercise, later in life, reverse the consequences of lifestyle choices made during earlier years of life (e.g., sedentarism, smoking), and whether the beneficial effects of exercise show circadian or seasonal dependence such that exercising during a particular time of day or a particular season imparts more benefit than under other conditions. A recent study showing that adherence to a two-year, high-intensity exercise program decreases left ventricular stiffness in previously sedentary middle-aged participants ( 137 ) suggests that to some extent, beginning exercise, even late in life can be effective in reversing structural and functional changes in the cardiovascular system associated with aging and/or disease states such as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Yet, perhaps the most important questions relate to the mechanisms by which exercise imparts it remarkable benefits to cardiovascular health. As discussed above and summarized in Figure ​ Figure1, 1 , regular physical activity can ameliorate a variety of CVD risk factors such as dyslipidemia or hypertension, but a well-powered analysis of the cardiovascular effects of exercise revealed that reduction in the burden of classical risk factors can account for only about 59% of the total reduction in cardiovascular mortality ( 138 ). What accounts for the remaining 41% reduction in risk remains unclear, but it may be related to changes in systemic inflammation as well as favorable responses to acute inflammatory challenge. Indeed exercise has pervasive effects on immune cells—natural killer cells, neutrophils, monocytes, regulatory T cells, as well as the balance of T-cell types are all affected by exercise ( 139 ) and it promotes a healthy anti-inflammatory milieu ( 140 ). Nevertheless, how exercise affects inflammation and immunity and how these changes could account for the salubrious effects of exercise on cardiovascular disease risk and mortality are important questions that require additional careful investigations. Additional work is also required to assess how nutrition affects exercise capacity as well as the cardiovascular benefits of exercise and how exercise affects the gut and the microbiome ( 139 , 140 ). In this regard, it is important to clearly delineate the extent to which nutritional supplements such as β-alanine and carnosine, which enhance the buffering capacity of muscle ( 141 ) affect exercise capacity as well as muscle growth and hypertrophy. Such work is essential and important not only for a basic understanding of the mechanisms of exercise-induced protection, but also for developing more effective exercise regimens, testing the efficacy of combined treatments involving exercise and dietary supplements, and for devising appropriate pharmacological interventions for those who would not or cannot exercise.

Overview of major cardiovascular effects of exercise. Abbreviations: HR, heart rate; LV, left ventricle; eNOS, endothelial nitric oxide synthase; NO, nitric oxide; VSM, vascular smooth muscle; BP, blood pressure; HDL, high density lipoprotein; LDL, low density lipoprotein; VLDL, very low density lipoprotein; TG, triglycerides; EPC, endothelial progenitor cell.

Author contributions

All authors listed have made a substantial, direct and intellectual contribution to the work, and approved it for publication.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Funding. This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (GM103492, HL142710) and the American Heart Association (16SDG27260070).

Home / Essay Samples / Health / Physical Exercise / Benefits of Aerobic Exercise: How to Live Longer

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise: How to Live Longer

• Category: Life , Health
• Topic: Fitness , Healthy Lifestyle , Physical Exercise

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