How does exercise help your body?

10 Great reasons to Exercise!

1. It helps to keep your arteries in better shape, and so helps reduce blood pressure

2. It stimulates capillary development, so blood and oxygen can get to the body parts more easily

3. It helps the heart to become more efficient

4. It helps with control of blood sugar levels and diabetes

5. It helps with depression and makes you feel better about yourself

6. It can help you to sleep better

7. It helps you deal with stress, and is a stress relieving strategy

8. It helps with weight control

9. It helps keep your body strong so you can do the things you love to do

10. Exercise improve co-ordination and balance skills, and so reduces your risk of falling

Why is exercise good for your brain?

1. As noted above exercise helps to improve your blood vessels, and these include the blood vessels in your brain. The healthier they are, the more oxygen you get to your brain and so your brain is healthier.

2. Learning new exercises helps to stimulate your brain, by growing new connections in the part of your brain called the cortex.  The more connections we have the better!

3. Exercise stimulates changes in hormones, which make your brain healthier, and some studies have shown this lessens the effects of the protein changes in your brain which lead to dementia.

4. Learning new movements stimulates the  hippocampus, which is the memory part of your brain.

How often should you exercise?

Exercises which strengthen your body, you should be doing some exercises every day… We recommend  “SNACKING”- which is not about eating  ☺  but is about doing 5-10 repetitions of an exercise 3-5 times per day.

For something like a walking programme You should aim to exercise at least 5 times a week for 30-40 minutes). You might need to start at 20 minutes, with a less intense level of exercise, and then build up over time.  

Aim each week to do  10% more than you did the week before. So if you walk 20 minutes this week, walk 22 minutes next week. If you are walking 30 minutes on the flat, and a small hill next week so you get some increase in intensity.

It has been shown that attending a dance based exercise programme twice a week can help with improving memory and lessening issues with cognitive decline.

Exercise goals must be right for you !

Everyone reading this is different. It is important to work with a health professional to plan what is right for you, and not do too much too soon. Goal setting so your achieve positive outcomes is very important.