3. Builds muscle mass
In healthy adults, muscle mass makes up roughly 40% of total body weight. Your muscles are integral to maintaining posture, breathing, and movement, but they also store nutrients and regulate your metabolism. Your peak muscle mass begins to naturally decline at age 25, and by the time you’re 80 years old, you’ll have lost 30% of it, which means its benefits wane too.
Muscle loss relates closely to bone loss. As you get older, the combination of lower bone and muscle strength can cause impaired movement, trouble balancing, and higher risks of osteoporosis and fractured bones. Falls and broken bones in older adults can significantly lessen quality of life because your bones take longer to heal as you get older.
Regular physical activity builds bone density and strengthens muscles, which lessens the natural stresses of aging on your muscles. In other words: exercise aids your body’s longevity.
4. Boosts your energy
If you slug through your workday and feel tired all the time, it may not be because you need to top off your coffee. Approximately 20% of adults experience persistent fatigue because of a sedentary lifestyle — and caffeine or a nap can’t fix those bad habits.
At least 20 minutes of low-to-moderate exercise can increase your energy levels. And if you keep up a regular routine, you’re likely to feel long-term effects on your energy throughout the day and throughout your life.
That’s because when you exercise, your body produces more mitochondria inside your muscle cells, which turn food and oxygen into fuel. The more of them you have in your body, the higher your energy reserves and better your ability to ration energy efficiently.