Feel Better, Sleep Better, and Be Better: Top 5 Benefits of Exercise

Published in

Naturopath Magazine

3 min readDec 1, 2020

There are many people who enjoy the benefits of exercise innately. A few stop to ponder the intricate cascade of chemicals, processes, changes and outcomes physical activities produce.

Why is exercise so important? Here are some hard scientific facts:

Whether you are exerting physical or emotional stress over your body, your glands are your first responders. They are in charge of releasing the chemicals and hormones responsible for controlling the emotional and physiological changes that follow.

As much as we want to believe in a universal “exercise in, benefit out” dependence, there are a number of additional factors that determine the types of benefits we get, as they hinge on the viability of these glands.

Ever wonder why after a certain age people are prone to gaining weight without changing their exercise routines or caloric intake? It’s because of the fine workings of the endocrine system. The body saves fat to help you, as it is preparing for the impending bone density loss, which is expected to happen with age. Padding is being stored to protect your body, so that you don’t break a bone if you fall.

The built-in, self-correcting mechanisms within your body are nothing short of miraculous. Exercise is a form of play, a hack that has the potential to gift us back our youth. It is fabulously beneficial not only for your heart and internal organs, but it also has a measured effect on how old you look and feel.

Boost your nutritional mindfulness and keep exercising. Here are your top 5 health benefits:

5. Exercise Keeps You Young.

Your pituitary gland releases human growth hormone (HGH), which in turn promotes bone density, muscle fitness and tissue repair. The entire integumentary system benefits too. Impurities and heavy metal toxins are excreted through sweat. Who doesn’t want stronger bones and muscles, youthful skin, and shiny hair?

4. Exercise Supports the Thyroid and Vital Body Functions.

Exercise stimulates the thyroid gland, which sends out hormones that regulate metabolism, body temperature, heart rate, kidney functioning, blood pressure, etc. The thyroid also controls brain health, focus, and concentration.

3. Exercise Helps You Cope With Stress Like a Pro.

Your adrenal glands, your primary line of defense for stress, are also supercharged by exercise. They are responsible for the release of cortisol into the bloodstream, the chemical that controls your blood pressure, glucose levels, inflammation, hydration, and how you handle stress. Stress lowers the immune system, therefore, your adrenals play a major role in your immune health, self-repair mechanisms, and overall well-being.

2. Exercise Promotes a Healthy Sex Drive.

Exercise, especially strength training, increases testosterone. It boosts sex drive in both men and women. Regular exercise will lean you out, tone your body, increase blood flow to your sexual organs, boost your confidence, and make you feel attractive. Long, vigorous exercise, however, can have the opposite effect. Men who love endurance training are more likely to have low levels of testosterone.

1. Exercise Prolongs Life.

Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, which gives the body a feeling of being satiated when properly nourished. Since insulin regulates glucose (blood sugar) by transporting it to muscles and tissues, increased sensitivity means lowered risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular conditions. As these are top natural causes of mortality, you can increase your chances of living longer if you create and stick to a regular exercise routine.

To your health!

Next: When Does Stress Become Anxiety: Take the GAD7 Anxiety Test

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