Many of us today are less active than ever due to our fast-paced lives and compromising lifestyles to meet daily work requirements. This has led to keeping our health on the sidelines. But you must remember that all your hard work will go in vain if your health does not favour you.
Exercise is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. The numerous benefits include weight control, improved mood, increased energy levels, and reduced risk of chronic disease. However, lack of exercise can also have serious consequences that can significantly affect your health and quality of life. Let us explore the 8 benefits of physical activity and exercise, what lack of exercise has on your body, how it affects your heart rate and common health problems caused by lack of exercise in the elderly.
Table Of Contents
1. What Effect Does Lack Of Exercise Have On Your Body?
2. 8 Benefits Of Physical Activity And Exercise
3. How Does A Lack Of Exercise Affect The Heart Rate?
4. Common Health Problems Caused By Lack Of Exercise In Elderly
5. Expert’s Advice
6. The Final Say
7. FAQs
8. References
What Effect Does Lack Of Exercise Have On Your Body?
The various effects the lack of exercise has on our body are as follows:
1. Weight Gain
Among the most critical side effects associated with not exercising is gaining weight. This happens when we need to move around more and burn less fat than we consume. Consequently, this might cause obesity, hence increasing the chances of acquiring diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
2. Poor Cardiovascular Health
Lack of exercise also negatively affects cardiovascular health. Physical activity improves blood flow and lowers blood pressure by strengthening the heart muscles. The absence of physical activities makes it possible for the heart and veins to become feeble, which may easily cause heart attacks or strokes, among other conditions related to the cardiovascular system.
3. Weakened Bones And Muscles
Our bones, together with our muscles, need exercise so that they can remain strong and in good health. Should these tissues be deprived of regular workouts, they will lose strength, thus making us more vulnerable to fractures from falls or other injuries. Moreover, where age is concerned, this becomes even truer because bone density typically diminishes naturally at this time. Exercising helps decelerate such processes and maintain muscle and bone strength.
Also Read: 6 Best Exercises For Osteoporosis And To Strengthen Your Bones
4. Mental Health Issues
Not exercising or not indulging in physical activity can also have a negative impact on your mental health. Mental health exercises are known for triggering the release of endorphins – natural "feel good" hormones in the body that relieve stress, anxiety and depression. The absence of exercise makes us more predisposed to these mental health issues.
5. Poor Sleep Quality
Routine exercises help improve the quality of our sleep, making us fall asleep faster and longer. Without exercise, sleeping may be difficult, resulting in tiredness during the day, irritability, and difficulty focusing.
6. Decreased Cognitive Function
Additionally, physical activities have been found to enhance brain health and cognitive abilities. Research has indicated that regular bodily exercises improve memory, attention span, and decision-making skills. If one does not exercise, there might be a decline in cognitive function and an increase in age-related cognitive decline risks.
7. Increased Risk Of Chronic Diseases
Finally, not exercising raises your risk of developing chronic illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Regular physical activities can reduce the threat of these diseases by increasing insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Also Read: Workout For Crohn's Disease: Causes, Exercise Tips & Self-Care Routine
8 Benefits Of Physical Activity And Exercise
The following are the benefits of physical activity and exercise:
1. Helps Maintain A Healthy Body Weight
Low physical activity can increase someone's risk of being overweight or obese. While exercise is known not to facilitate weight loss when practised independently of other activities, it does encourage weight loss when practised in conjunction with a proper diet of smaller portions and healthier foods. In addition, there is evidence that indulging in physical activity can help maintain a healthy and ideal body weight over time.
2. Lowers Blood Pressure
Hypertension is considered the main precondition for many diseases, including stroke and heart disease. Exercise also strengthens the walls of your heart, allowing you to pump blood easily and quickly all over the body. This relieves pressure on your arteries, decreasing your blood pressure. Regular exercise keeps blood pressure in a healthy range.
3. Reduces The Risk Of Heart Disease
It has been demonstrated that regular exercise, particularly aerobic activity such as brisk walking, jogging, and cycling, lowers the risk of heart disease. This benefit extends to humans of all sizes. Overweight or obese individuals engaged in physical activities have a comparatively lower risk of heart disease than those who are dormant.
4. It Lowers The Risk Of Developing Type 2 Diabetes
As is well understood, exercise assists blood glucose control and increases the body's capacity to respond to insulin. However, there is a persistent link between physical inactivity and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, patients diagnosed with diabetes should regularly engage in exercises to regulate blood sugar.
5. It Reduces The Risk Of Some Types Of Cancer
Cancer embraces many preventable (for example, smoking, unhealthy diet, high consumption of alcoholic products) and non-preventable (for example, max and min factors, radiation, various pollutants) factors. Current research points towards the fact that permanent moderate to vigorous physical activity can in some way lessen the chances of contracting some forms of cancer, such as colon, rectal, lung and breast cancer.
6. Increases Muscle Strength And Function
Skeletal muscles play several roles in the body: they help maintain posture and movement and generate heat. Thus, one general fact concerning people is that as they grow old, their muscles are reduced, partly explained by the increased time people spend sitting down. This decrease in muscle mass can limit our ability to move and increase the likelihood of developing falls and muscle diseases like sarcopenia.
Besides, people should do regular exercise, particularly resistance exercises like weight lifting or bodyweight exercises like squats or push-ups. These help improve muscle strength and diameter and minimise the risk of sarcopenia and other muscle disorders.
Also Read: 5 Dynamic Functional Strength Training Exercises With Benefits And Routine!
7. Improves Bone Health And Strength
Exercises for osteoporosis that include bearing weight, such as dancing and jogging, and resistance training, have been demonstrated to increase bone density in teenagers and support bone density maintenance in adults, lowering the risk of osteoporosis. This is especially beneficial to older people and women going through the menopausal stage since they can minimise the ageing effects on their bones.
8. Helps Promote Positive Mental Health
Exercise regularly has been demonstrated to improve psychological and mental wellness. The way through which exercise impacts our mental health is still unknown. What is known is that 'endorphins are released while exercising, which can reduce stress and help one sleep better, which in turn can help one be in a happy mood. Further, some findings actually imply that exercise can help treat depression and other related mental disorders.
Also Read: 12 Benefits Of Yoga for Mental Health And 5 Ways To Improve Well-Being
How Does A Lack Of Exercise Affect The Heart Rate?
Exercise prevents premature death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). It also helps to prevent diabetes, maintain weight loss and lower blood pressure, which are all independent risk factors for heart disease. Individuals with little activity and poor fitness levels have a 30-50% increased possibility of developing high blood pressure. Lack of exercise itself is a significant risk factor for CVD.
Fatty substances can build up in your arteries (the tubes that carry blood away from your heart) if you don't exercise frequently. Consequently, when the arteries leading to the heart get blocked or damaged, it causes a heart attack.
Similarly, if this happens in the arteries that supply blood to the brain, it causes stroke. This is akin to smoking cigarettes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure. One of the reasons it significantly affects its mortality rate is its prevalence in the population. Exercise regularly will help protect against the first heart attack, assist recovery from coronary artery bypass surgery and reduce the chances of recurrent attacks.
Common Health Problems Caused By Lack Of Exercise In Elderly
The following are 4 major health issues caused by lack of exercise among older people:
1. Cardiovascular Problems
Cardiovascular diseases are one of the most common effects of inactivity in ageing people. They occur when a person does not participate in physical exercise, and as a result, fatty substances collect on the insides of blood vessels, limiting blood circulation. Blocked arteries that lead to the heart cause heart attacks, while those that flow to the brain cause strokes.
Other cardiovascular and circulatory complications resulting from arterial congestion are such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and diabetes mellitus type II, among others, which could be avoided through regular exercising.
2. Low Muscle Mass And Reduced Strength
Another severe effect of decreased physical activity among elderly people is muscle wasting. This is where muscles become thin or disappear and become less strong. Symptoms include weakness, numbness in limbs, or tingling in hands or legs, as well as difficulties in moving about or even balancing oneself.
When you start leading an inactive lifestyle, you quit using these muscles; hence, your body decides to need them no longer since they were never used again. Consequently, it ceases to utilise energy to maintain the muscles, thus breaking them down by decreasing their size and power. Mobility declines when muscles become weak due to a lack of physical activity, although one can regain this muscle mass at some point in the future. Hence, low physical activity in older people has to be tackled.
3. Joint Stiffness
We have cartilage, synovial membranes and synovial fluid between our bones. According to the Nature of the Pathology, reduced activity in a joint over time results in the cartilage tightening and becoming less pliable. Bone-on-bone contact occurs due to the wear and tear of the cartilage in the joint, which leads to stiffness and pain.
Fluid also reduces as people get older, and an inactive lifestyle does not let what is left of the fluid circulate frequently, which helps cushion the joint. These problems lead to stiffness, lower flexibility, and, thus, lower mobility.
4. Cognitive Decline
It says it all: the brain is the control centre of the whole body, and lots of energy is needed to perform duties. To provide energy, one needs the right 'raw material', glucose, to be metabolised and delivered at the right speed. Should glycemic control be compromised, the brain's functions and form will be affected. Physical inactivity in older adults is costly regarding flow reduction, glycemic fluctuations, and cognitive deterioration.
Expert’s Advice
Regular exercise is good for you and can help you manage your weight. Physical activity and exercise have a plethora of health benefits. However, it is only one part of a healthy lifestyle. In addition, you should prioritise eating a balanced, healthful diet low in sugar, salt, and saturated fats and high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, eggs, lean meat, and fatty fish.
Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Even for people who love to exercise, staying motivated to be active regularly can be challenging. That is why breaking the cycle of physical inactivity and incorporating regular exercise and movement into our daily routines is crucial. Even small changes, such as short breaks to stretch, go for walks, or engage in active hobbies, can significantly improve our overall health and well-being.
However, lack of movement for an extended period can have adverse effects. Aftermath. These negative consequences can affect your body's fitness and health, so if you are willing to take a break, you can take a short break and resume later.
FAQs
1. How is lack of exercise related to mental health?
Regular exercisers have reduced the incidence of mental disease and improved mental and emotional well-being. Engaging in physical activity appears to lower the likelihood of mental illness. Additionally, it appears to be beneficial in treating certain mental health issues like anxiety and sadness.
2. What are the effects of lack of physical activity on your body?
It is abundantly evident that a sedentary lifestyle increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and other illnesses: People who are less fit and active are more likely to acquire high blood pressure. You can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes by exercising.
3. Can you experience fatigue due to lack of exercise?
Fatigue might have lifestyle-related reasons, such as excessive drinking or drug use or a lack of regular exercise.
4. What are the common diseases caused due to lack of exercise?
The common diseases caused due to lack of exercise are-
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Obesity
- Heart diseases
- Type 2 diabetes
References
- https://www.nebh.org/blog/how-does-exercise-affect-your-heart-and-what-are-the-benefits/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4241367/
- https://www.onlymyhealth.com/side-effects-of-physical-inactivity-1689240844
- https://www.onlymyhealth.com/side-effects-of-not-exercising-1679924066
- https://www.eufic.org/en/healthy-living/article/9-proven-benefits-of-physical-activity
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