7 Ways Aerobic Activity Helps Improve Quality of Life

No time to go to the gym? That’s okay! You can reap all the benefits of exercise just by increasing your daily aerobic activity.

Aerobic activity (also called cardio exercise) is any repetitive movement that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. To reap its benefits, pick an exercise that builds the strength and endurance of your aerobic system (heart, lungs, and circulatory system). Some examples are walking, dancing to your favorite playlist, or playing with your dog. Even chores like scrubbing your bathroom count!

Just commit to moving more each day and you’ll feel the positive effects on your body, mind, and mood. Need motivation? Here are some of the benefits of daily cardio exercise.

If you feel overwhelmed or mentally exhausted, go for a walk. After just 20 minutes, your body starts releasing feel-good hormones like endorphins and serotonin. Exercise also amps up your levels of norepinephrine, a hormone that regulates your body’s response to stress and emotion. You enter a state of calm alertness – the perfect mindset for problem-solving and creative work.

Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and improve your sleep quality, which in turn can help with memory functions, emotional processing, and healthy brain development.

Schedule your workout at least one to two hours before bedtime and pick light to moderate activities like walking or yoga. Vigorous exercises like aerobic training may wake you up and are best done in the morning.

Studies show that 20 minutes of continuous walking has the same benefits of a cup of coffee. You’ll feel alert and energized, minus the caffeine jitters and withdrawal symptoms. Additionally, regular aerobic activity may have long-term cognitive benefits. It boosts chemicals in the brain that help grow new cells and blood vessels in areas responsible for “high-level thinking,” such as planning, memory, attention, problem-solving, and verbal reasoning.

Exercise boosts blood flow to the skin, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells and clearing out impurities. Since it reduces stress and improves sleep, it can also manage skin conditions like acne and eczema. Just wash your face properly after you sweat to prevent clogged pores.

A large study found that just two and a half hours of brisk walking a week can lower the risk of depression by 25 percent. Depression has been linked to chemical imbalances and a smaller hippocampus, the part of the brain that regulates mood. Regular aerobic activity balances your hormone levels, increases nerve cells, and improves cell connections in the hippocampus, easing depression symptoms.

Exercise also provides a positive emotional outlet. Pick a physical activity you enjoy and make it part of your self-care routine. If you feel unmotivated, find a fitness buddy or join an online community to get social support.

Exercise is more important as you get older. Your metabolism slows down with age, so you’re more likely to store food as fat. Aerobic activity helps you burn calories and can temporarily lower your appetite after every workout. Need to lose weight? Harvard researchers say you can lose one pound in just over a week just by brisk walking for 30 minutes and eating 250 fewer calories a day.

Regular physical activity lowers your risk of chronic health conditions like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It also prevents other risk factors (like obesity and high blood sugar or cholesterol) that can lead to those conditions.

Research also links regular exercise with a lower risk for 13 kinds of cancer. This includes lung, breast, and liver cancer, which are some of the most common cancers in the Philippines. Examples of endurance exercises that can help are brisk walking or jogging, fast dancing, climbing stairs, and sports like pickleball.

Get more aerobic activity every day! Look for excuses to move, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Download a fitness app or find exercises that don’t need gym equipment. Use the step tracker on your mobile phone or wearable device and gradually increase your step count until you reach 7,500 steps a day.

Worried about sweat and body odor? Get a reliable deodorant that can help you stay fresh during active days. If you have sensitive skin, try Dove 0% Aluminum Deodorant Roll-On. It has no aluminum or alcohol and has moisturizing creams that will nourish your skin. This product allows you to sweat naturally while staying fresh. If you’re worried about dark underarms, Rexona Vitamin + Bright Deodorant Spray Sakura Radiance can make them smoother and brighter with regular use.

Increasing your daily aerobic activity is totally doable – and every step or quick workout helps you become your strongest, healthiest self. So, don’t try to go all in all at once. The road to a healthy lifestyle requires a marathon, not a sprint.