How does cardio help

It is quite common for people to consume energy drinks and coffee throughout the day to stay alert. But these methods can be harmful to your health if you overdo them. A healthier option is cardio exercise. It can naturally boost your energy, which is why many people start their day off with some cardio in the early hours of the morning.

When our body goes through an activity that requires energy, such as running, it releases endorphins. These increased endorphin levels, in turn, boost our energy.

Since cardio exercise releases endorphins, another benefit is that it simply makes you feel good afterward. Cardio is a healthy way to combat mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or stress. There are bound to be many times throughout your workout when you feel like you may quit. When you get into the routine of doing cardio exercise, you will start to feel better about yourself overall and improve your confidence.

Many professionals recommend you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night; however, a lot of people do not accomplish this. This results in low energy that can make the day a huge pain to get through. When you add cardio to your lifestyle, you will begin to experience a higher quality of sleep.

In turn, this will make it far easier to get in bed and fall asleep at a reasonable hour. Nobody wants to get sick. You may not be able to afford to miss work or have an important event coming up. The worst thing about getting sick is that it often happens out of nowhere, perhaps at the most inconvenient time. Cardio exercise can help your immune system fight any bacterial infections you may be vulnerable to because it changes your antibodies and white blood cells.

Heart-pumping aerobic exercise is the kind that doctors have in mind when they recommend at least minutes per week of moderate activity. What it does: Resistance training has a more specific effect on body composition, Stewart says.

For people who are carrying a lot of body fat including a big belly, which is a risk factor for heart disease , it can help reduce fat and create leaner muscle mass. Research shows that a combination of aerobic exercise and resistance work may help raise HDL good cholesterol and lower LDL bad cholesterol. How much: At least two nonconsecutive days per week of resistance training is a good rule of thumb, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Examples: Working out with free weights such as hand weights, dumbbells or barbells , on weight machines, with resistance bands or through body-resistance exercises, such as push-ups, squats and chin-ups.

What they do is benefit musculoskeletal health, which enables you to stay flexible and free from joint pain, cramping and other muscular issues. That flexibility is a critical part of being able to maintain aerobic exercise and resistance training, says Stewart. As a bonus, flexibility and balance exercises help maintain stability and prevent falls, which can cause injuries that limit other kinds of exercise.

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