Our body is made to move
Although everyone would rather be lazy than tired at times, our body requires movement. By not moving for long periods of time, physical processes slow down or even come to a complete standstill. Our body is made to move, I will explain why.
Our ancestors were constantly on the move to survive, gathering food or hunting. We also realize that we need to exercise enough to stay healthy, but nowadays we are much more inactive than before. For example, we only have to drive to the store to provide us with food and due to automation we have more and more sedentary jobs. Why is exercise or running so important?
Physical effects of exercise
Running has an impact on your body. Some effects are immediately noticeable, others have long-term beneficial effects. For example, running speeds up your heart rate, increases breathing depth and speed. Running also increases your physical fitness because your muscle strength is increased and your muscles will absorb more oxygen. If you start running more often, you will notice that you have more energy and can perform certain movements more easily than before. Running also improves the quality of life and prevents certain diseases. Because you exercise more, this has a positive effect on your health. This effect is greatest in people who previously were less active or who spent a lot of time sitting.
Intervertebral discs
By moving, your intervertebral discs are “hydrated”. Is that possible? Yes, your intervertebral discs will reabsorb moisture due to the alternating and varying pressure of the vertebrae while running. You can compare it to a sponge in a bucket of water. If you want the sponge to absorb fresh water, you must first wring it out. This is also roughly how your intervertebral discs work.
Blood circulation
Did you know that the deep calf muscle is also responsible for returning blood to the heart? When running, the contraction of the muscle causes the blood in the lower legs to pump upwards. This way, the heart is not only responsible for returning the blood and the heart is somewhat relieved.
Active recovery
Many athletes, carers and trainers swear by the method of active recovery. They claim that recovery process can be accelerated by active recovery. There is no real scientific evidence for this, but it would mainly have a positive mental effect. Knowing that you did everything you could for a maximum recovery from a sports performance.
Brain activity
Your body benefits from running on a mental level as well. Do you sometimes have the feeling that you see the world from a different perspective when you are running? Seeing more solutions to a problem or remembering certain things better? Scientific research shows that brain activity improves with physical activity in terms of memory and decision making. So go for a run next time when you need to make decisions. That’s why why exercise breaks during cognitive work or study are strongly recommended.
Less risk of cardiovascular disease
Did you know that a sedentary lifestyle doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to an active lifestyle? So it’s worth the effort to exercise more.
So our body is not only made to move, it only stays healthy if we exercise enough. No more excuses not to run 😉