If you’re looking to get fitter and healthier, you could do a lot worse than engage n regular bouts of aerobic exercise.
This is handy really because in today’s article we’re going to be taking a look at several amazing benefits of aerobic exercise.
Exercise isn’t just great for the body, it’s also fantastic for the body and the soul as well.
The main issue that people tend to have with certain types of exercise, is finding the right one for them.
Some prefer to lift weights, whereas others would rather engage in aerobic-based cardio exercise, which is what we’re looking at today.
We’re constantly told by experts and health officials that aerobic exercise is very good for us, but exactly just how beneficial is aerobic exercise really?
That’s what we intend to find out today.
Below we’ll be taking a detailed look at what aerobic exercise is, comparing it with anaerobic exercise, and will be listing several amazing benefits to finish up.
So, without any further ado, let’s make a start, shall we?
What Is Aerobic Exercise?
Before we can list the many benefits, we first need to ensure that we’re all clear on exactly what aerobic exercise is.
Basically, aerobic exercise is a cardiovascular exercise that targets the cardiovascular system.
Your heart and your lungs are worked when you engage in aerobic exercise, as it is basically any type of sustained exercise that results in your heart rate increasing and your breathing intensifying for a prolonged duration of time.
As it promotes an increase in the transportation of oxygenated blood to your cells via your red blood cells, aerobic exercise can help to boost physical endurance and performance.
Typically, activities such as jogging, swimming, cycling, and even Zumba are usually considered to be prime examples of aerobic exercise.
Aerobic Vs Anaerobic: What Is The Difference?
We know that aerobic exercise is basically any type of cardio, but what about anaerobic exercise?
Well, basically, anaerobic exercise requires short bursts of energy that are carried out at maximum effort for short durations of time.
HIIT for example is considered anaerobic exercise because you exercise at maximum effort for short durations of time.
During aerobic exercise, oxygen is your primary source of energy.
During anaerobic exercise, because your body needs energy instantly, stored energy sources such as glucose are used instead of oxygen.
What Are The Benefits Of Aerobic Exercise?
Now that we know what aerobic exercise is and we know just how different it is from anaerobic exercise, let’s take a look at what the main benefits actually are.
1. Fat Loss
One of the main reasons why people take part in aerobic exercise is to burn fat.
Aerobic exercise gets your heart rate up and ramps up your metabolism, resulting in calories being burnt off as you exercise.
Jogging, for example, is a great form of aerobic exercise and in one hour you can easily burn upwards of 500 calories, if not more.
2. Improved Mental Health
Aerobic exercise is also great for people looking to improve their mental health.
Aerobic exercise helps to stimulate the natural production and secretion of endorphins which help to elevate your mood and put you in a much better frame of mind.
Some forms of aerobic exercise are also performed outdoors, meaning that you can get some fresh air and enjoy the great outdoors.
3. See More Of The Great Outdoors
Speaking of exercising outdoors, another of the fantastic benefits is the fact that it enables you to see more of the great outdoors.
Cycling, jogging, and hiking for example are great examples of aerobic activity and they can be done outside.
A lot of cycle routes are found amongst gorgeous countryside and picturesque scenery, which is not only nice to look at, it will also improve your mental health, like we just looked at.
4. Great For The Heart
With heart disease being the biggest killer in the world, we need to do everything in our power to look after our tickers and keep our cardiovascular systems fit and healthy.
Aerobic exercise helps to strengthen your heart and the walls of your blood vessels, it can lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol, reduce stress levels, and boost circulation.
All of these benefits when rolled into one make for a recipe for optimal heart health.
5. Reduced Blood Pressure
On the subject of heart health, hypertension, which you may know as high blood pressure is another condition that health experts are growing increasingly concerned about.
High blood pressure puts you more at risk of cardiovascular issues such as heart attacks, along with being at risk of organ failure, stroke, and more besides.
Aerobic exercise has been found to significantly reduce blood pressure, making it a fantastic preventative measure and treatment for hypertension.
6. Strengthens The Immune System
Right now, we all know just how important our immune systems really are, which is why we need to take a look at ways of naturally boosting our body’s natural defense mechanisms.
Aerobic exercise has been found to help boost the immune system.
This is very beneficial as it could help to protect you against illness and disease.
7. Improve Your Body’s Use Of Oxygen Naturally
Every single second of every day our bodies are naturally using oxygen.
When we exercise, we use oxygen more quickly, which is where aerobic exercise proves useful.
Aerobic exercise increases your body’s VO2 Max levels, which means in basic terms that it improves the rate at which the body utilizes oxygen when it exercises.
8. Improved Stamina And Endurance
If you find yourself growing winded when you simply walk up your stairs, you might want to pay attention to this next example of the benefits.
Aerobic exercise helps to noticeably improve your stamina and your endurance, meaning that, over time your fitness levels will improve noticeably.
This basically means that you’ll find it much easier to exercise for longer durations of time before you grow tired, which in itself is a huge bonus.
9. Tone Your Muscles
Okay, aerobic exercise won’t help you to build muscles and bulk up like a bodybuilder, but your muscles and your physique can still be improved upon thanks to the benefits.
Most forms of aerobic exercise will work your muscles in some way, which in turn will help them to become leaner and more defined.
Cycling and running, for example, will help to tone muscles in your legs, whereas swimming works many different muscles because you’re swimming against the resistance of the water.
10. Increase Your Metabolism
The more aerobic exercise you take part in, the more your metabolism will increase.
Regular bouts of aerobic exercise help to increase your metabolic rate which in basic terms means that you’ll burn more calories and will have more energy as a result, even in a rested state.
11. Reduced LDL Cholesterol Levels
In the body, we have good cholesterol and bad cholesterol.
HDL cholesterol is good cholesterol which we need, and bad cholesterol is LDL, which we need to keep low.
LDL cholesterol can cause blocked arteries, heart disease, an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, and much more besides.
Aerobic exercise has been found to noticeably reduce LDL cholesterol, which means that it could help to prevent life-threatening diseases and medical emergencies.
12. So Much Variety To Choose From
Another one of the many benefits which many people find appealing is the fact that there is so much variety for you to choose from.
Aerobic exercise is fantastic for people who like to switch up their training and try something new as you can try so many different activities and never get bored.
You can try swimming, cycling, running, jogging, hiking, spinning, and much more besides.
Having so much to choose from means that your workouts will be fresh and exciting and you’ll never get bored.
13. Regulates Blood Sugar Levels
One of the lesser-known benefits is the fact that it helps to regulate your blood sugar levels.
Studies have found that aerobic exercise can help to keep blood sugar levels stable, and it can help to prevent issues such as insulin resistance.
With type-2 diabetes proving to be such a huge concern for health officials, the benefits of blood sugar levels really become apparent here.
14. Easy To Do
Some types of exercise are considerably harder to perform than others.
Thankfully many of the most popular and efficient examples of aerobic exercise are not on this list.
Aerobic exercise in general is very easy to do because you can work as hard as your body will allow, without getting into any major difficulty.
Aerobic exercise is simple because you just get started and do what your body can tolerate.
Walking, for example, is a great example of aerobic exercise and you don’t get much easier than walking.
15. Can Be Done Anywhere
With many gyms across the globe being forced to temporarily shut up shop and close until deemed safe to reopen thanks to the global pandemic sweeping the world, finding activities to perform outside of the gym is more important than ever.
Just because you can’t get into the gym to exercise, doesn’t mean that you should just sit on your backside gaining weight and growing more unfit by the day until your local gym is eventually allowed to open back up.
Aerobic exercise is ideal because you can do it anywhere in some form or another.
From an exercise bike in your spare room to a hike through the mountains, you can find a form of aerobic exercise that you can do virtually anywhere.
16. No Equipment is Needed
If you decide that you wish to take up cycling as your preferred form of aerobic exercise, then of course you’ll need to purchase a cycle, helmet, and all of the other gear needed.
If however, you just decide to go for a walk or leisurely jog as your aerobic exercise, other than comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear, you don’t need to purchase any equipment at all.
This will not only save you time when starting out, but it will also save you money as well, and who wouldn’t want that?
17. You’ll Sleep Better
If you suffer from insomnia and you find that you struggle to sleep at night, another of the amazing benefits that you will need to pay attention to is the fact that it can help you to sleep better.
Not only will the exercise help to tire you out by burning calories and expending energy, but you’ll also produce endorphins and neurotransmitters which help to regulate your sleep patterns and your sleep cycles.
Taking part in regular bouts of aerobic exercise will help you to sleep better, which in turn will also improve your mental health, your immune system, and your overall quality of life as well.
18. Improved Cognitive Health
Finally, the last of the benefits which we’re going to look at today, are those based upon brain health and function.
Aerobic exercise has been found to boost brainpower, and improve cognitive functions such as concentration and memory, both short and long-term, and it could even help to protect against degenerative brain diseases later on in life as well.
Final Thoughts:
So, with that, we’ll bring this look at the many benefits to a close.
Hopefully, now that you can see just how many benefits of aerobic exercise there actually are out there, you’ll decide to put down the remote, get off the sofa, throw on your gym gear, and get active today.
Trust us, it’ll be the best decision you’ve ever made.
