10 secret benefits of exercise

Did you know that exercise lets you live longer? Read on to find out how! 

Exercise does wonderful things for you. It'll help you lose weight, tighten your tummy, build muscles and make you look great.

But there are many other benefits of exercise too; some which you may not even know about. Here are 10 such benefits. 

1. You live longer
Regular and balanced training of cardio, weights and flexibility has been surveyed, and it is found to increase the number of years to your life.

2. It does wonders for your skin, hair and nails
The blood and oxygen circulation helps to add a glow to your skin that no make-up can match.

It also improves your hair and nail quality and its growth.

3. Exercise improves coordination
Functional training, aerobics, dance workouts or kickboxing help to improve your left and right, upper and lower as well as asymmetric coordination of the bodily movements.

You will notice it improving when you start a class. You can barely get the moves on Day One; but by the third or fourth session you are already moving much better.

4. You become more efficient
In spite of a heavy workout you will have plenty of energy.

Regular exercise raises metabolic levels, making you naturally more active. Being up and about gets you to do more things, making you more efficient in your daily life.

5. Your mind is more positive and productive
Exercise de-stresses and clears the mind. It makes you feel fresher, and open to absorbing and carrying out tasks with positivity.

Notice how you feel when you have missed a couple of days of exercise -- most likely 'blah'.

6. You have better balance
A good exercise programme is one which would include moves that challenge your balance. This increases your stability, making you less prone to trips and falls, twisted ankles and bruised knees.

7. You have a greater immune system
Exercise builds up your immunity levels, lowering your risk of catching something mild like a cold, to more serious illnesses like cancer.

8. You have better posture
The foundation of effective exercise is good posture. Working out regularly ascertains that you have good alignment. This automatically makes you appear taller and slimmer.

9. You have more stamina and are less prone to a heart disease
Cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs raising stamina levels. It burns off excess fat that may be collecting in the arteries too. Exercising the heart keeps it in good condition, lowering your risk of heart disease.

10. Exercise improves your confidence and happiness levels
While lowering stress levels, exercise also releases a 'feel good' hormone. During intense training, you might have felt the extreme rush of it, it's called the 'runner's high'.

Even at milder levels, the hormone boosts your confidence.

The effects of exercise like weight loss, muscle tone, etc. that make you look and feel good also add to greater confidence and happy state of mind.

Lead image used for representational purposes only. Kind courtesy: Earl McGehee/Creative Commons