Physical Activity: Why Is It Important?

What is the best physical activity? Possibly you have heard, at some point in your life, the following answer: “The one you like”. However, many people, even knowing the benefits of the activities, claim not to like any of them; therefore, the answer usually changes to: “Do that activity that you have time to do”.

But this issue still needs to be resolved so simply. How many people complain that they don’t have time to practice? Therefore, the guidance of professionals becomes: “You must do physical activity, regardless of whether you like it or have time”. There is no other way out!

That’s what this content will be about. We will show you how physical activities positively impact your performance at work, avoiding stress in this environment. We will also point out some practices people can adopt with a tumultuous routine.

The Importance Of Physical Activity For People

Before understanding the importance of physical activity, knowing that this term should not be confused with “exercise” is interesting. According to WHO (World Health Organization), the latter refers to a subcategory of planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity that aims to maintain or improve one or more elements of physical conditioning.

Physical activity is any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure—including those performed during work, housework, play, travel, and leisure activities.

Examples of physical activities are: walking, dancing, going up and down stairs, and caring for the garden, among others. When we talk about physical exercise, we refer to activities with a sequence of movements performed to reach a goal, such as swimming, soccer, and judo.

Importance of staying active

We work on our flexibility, endurance, and strength when we practice physical exercises. But, more importantly, when we flex the muscles, we also exercise the brain: ideas and impressions are stimulated.

Physical activity and health are directly linked to removing physical and mental disorders. In addition to helping to avoid different types of diseases, activity brings benefits to emotional and mental health, in addition to physical health.

The Benefits Of Physical Activity

Hundreds of studies relate the regular practice of physical activity with increased longevity and reduced cases of cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, etc. Now, can physical activity increase our mental capacity?

Reduces The Incidence Of Chronic Diseases

Regularly practicing physical activities can reduce the possibility of people developing chronic diseases. As a result, certain conditions, such as hypertension, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity and even cardiovascular problems, are less frequent in people who are not sedentary.

Done regularly, the activities also prevent the chance of developing a Cerebral Vascular Accident (CVA) triggered by factors such as high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. As they contribute to the regulation of hormones, one of the benefits is the reduction of the risk of a stroke.

Prevents Osteoporosis

This is another type of disease that regular physical activity helps prevent. Keeping the body active strengthens muscles and joints. This is an important advantage, especially for the elderly, who are more likely to wear out their bone structure naturally, becoming more likely to develop musculoskeletal diseases.

Improved Sleep And Mood

It’s not just in the body that people start to feel changes when practicing physical activity regularly. There is a considerable increase in disposition for everyday life, which helps to improve performance at work and the desire to be with other people and have fun, among other things.

Combating a sedentary lifestyle is also important for anyone who wants to remove fatigue and discouragement from their lives. With all this, the quality of sleep also improves, thus creating a virtuous circle that leads to greater physical and emotional well-being.

Increases Self-Confidence

Physical exercises promote, in the body, the release of a fundamental substance to raise people’s self-esteem and make them feel more confident.

We are talking about serotonin, which is produced during activity. With this, we become more productive precisely because we improve our image of ourselves.

Decreases Stress

You must have heard that health professionals recommend the practice of physical activities also in cases related to psychological or emotional disorders, right? This goes for those who suffer from anxiety and depression and those who feel stressed in everyday life.

Exercises help alleviate stress and other symptoms, contributing to their treatment. In Cymbeline, Act III, Shakespeare said, “A turn or two I will walk, that my troubled mind may still.”

Improves Mental Health

Mental health also benefits from exercise and physical activity. Some modalities, such as collective sports, help with socialization and learning and develop areas of the brain that prevent symptoms of anxiety and depression.

In addition, activities release the hormone ‘endorphin ‘, which is responsible for the feeling of well-being, improving mood, increasing disposition and bringing satisfaction. For the organism to produce it and act as a neurotransmitter to have the indicated effects, the body must be stimulated by movements.

Increases Productivity

Almost always, people’s first motivation when seeking some regular physical activity is the improvement of health and physical conditioning. However, have you ever considered how this might affect your job performance?

Just as healthy eating directly impacts your productivity, exercise also affects this aspect. By burning fat and strengthening muscles, mental health improves. This favors concentration on all the tasks you need to perform throughout the day; that is, it improves your performance at work.

Control The Weight

Obesity, as well as lack of physical activity, are aspects that directly impact the number of deaths caused by cancer, being classified as modifiable risk factors.

Obesity, considered a worldwide epidemic by the World Health Organization (WHO), is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders and cancer.

Also Read: How To Combine Food And Physical Activity For Better Results?