Reasons To Exercise That You Might Not Know

by Jane Thurnell-Read

4 More Reasons To Exercise

Many of us know we should take exercise, because it will help us lose weight, be more toned, improve our mood, help our blood pressure, but there are lots of other reasons too.

Here’s 4 more you may not know about:

1. Exercise Helps Wound Healing

A study of healthy volunteers with an average age of 61 showed that exercise improved wound healing. The participants were divided into two groups – one group took exercise and the other didn’t. All the volunteers received a small wound (yes, people do actually volunteer for this sort of experiment!). The wound was measured 3 times a week till it healed. The conclusion of the study was:

“A relatively short-term exercise intervention is associated with enhanced rates of wound healing among healthy older adults.”

You can read more info on this study by clicking here.

2. Exercise Can Help Prevent Dementia

Researchers studied 1,750 people aged 65 and older for 6.2 years on average. The patients initially tested normal for mental functions. But during the study, 158 developed dementia, and 107 of those people were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. This meant the rate of dementia was 13% but for those who exercised less than 3 times a week the rate was 19.7%. The researchers think that exercise may boost the blood supply to the areas of the brain that deal with memory. You can read more info on this study by clicking here.

3. Exercise Can Improve Breast Cancer Survival Rates

Women with breast cancer who walk three to five hours a week are 50 percent less likely to die from the disease than inactive women with breast cancer. Nearly 3,000 nurses who had been diagnosed with breast cancer between 1984 and 1998 were tracked by questionnaires until June 2002. You can read more info on this study by clicking here.

4. Exercise Can Improve Your Balance & Prevent Falls

A study by a team from Rovaniemi Polytechnic in Finland followed 40 people aged between 65 and 81 over a three-month period while they regularly used swings, see-saws and climbing frames at the Santa Claus Sports Institute in Lapland. By the end of that time there were significant improvements in their balance, speed and co-ordination. So exercise can help prevent falls particularly in the elderly. Many of the participants also reported that they felt better mentally, and that they were empowered by their success in mastering the apparatus. You can read more info on this study by clicking here.

So, now you know (if you didn't before) - exercise is good for you. If you're at the 'yes, but' stage, have a look at this article on dealing with exercise excuses.