3) Helps With Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome
Aerobic and anaerobic training decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In one study, every extra 500kcal burned per week through exercise decreased the risk of diabetes by 6%.
Exercise increases insulin sensitivity.
40 minutes of intense exercise per week reduced the risk of diabetes in middle-aged men.
Weight loss via exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes by 40-60% among overweight individuals.
Moderate physical activity for >150 minutes per week was found to be more effective than the drug metformin.
One study showed that diabetics who walked at least two hours per week had 39-54% lower mortality.
Inactive men with diabetes were found to be 1.7 times more likely to die than physically active diabetics. This relationship also applies to those with metabolic syndrome.
Resistance training (e.g. weightlifting) might help regulate blood sugar more than aerobic exercise.
4) Improves Mental Health
People who engage in regular physical activity experience fewer depressive and anxious symptoms.
Both aerobic (e.g swimming) and anaerobic (e.g. weight training) exercise effectively lower depression and enhance mood.
Individuals who maintain a reasonable level of aerobic fitness are less likely to relapse into depression.
People with chronic anxiety often have a dysregulated HPA axis. Studies have shown that exercise improves the way the HPA axis modulates stress reactivity and anxiety.
High levels of physical activity are associated with improved heart rate variability scores (stress resilience marker).
One study found that college students who exercised regularly experienced less stress and hassle than those who didn’t.
Another study found that regular physical activity buffered the stressful effects of widowhood in elderly subjects.
Exercise increases norepinephrine, which helps the brain deal with stress more effectively.
In one study, both African dance (rigorous exercise) and yoga caused significant improvements in stress levels.
As well as reducing mental stress, some forms of exercise are very effective at reducing cellular stress. For example, yoga has been shown to improve antioxidant status and limit oxidative damage.