It’s that time of the year again. New Year’s came and went more than a month ago, and now that the newness has worn off, you might have a harder time sticking to your exercise resolutions. But wait! Before you throw in the (gym) towel, here are five of the top reasons to keep exercising regularly.
Although we all know that exercise helps you maintain a healthy weight and strong muscles, the results might be too slow to motivate you to stick with your gym goals. So, here are four top reasons to exercise regularly that will bring you results in a shorter time frame!
- Reduces stress, depression, and anxiety
- Clears skin
- Improves sleep quality
- Increases energy
In the rest of this article, we’ll explain exactly how each of these work. So, if you need that extra boost of motivation to keep your gym resolutions going strong, keep reading!
Top 4 Reasons To Keep Your New Year’s Gym Resolutions
Better Mental Health
By providing your brain with a cornucopia of feel-good chemicals, regular exercise can help ease the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and regular ol’ stress. The main players include endorphins (chemicals that make your mind and body feel positive), endogenous cannabinoids (similar to the active components of THC), and serotonin (a neurotransmitter that helps stabilize mood, behavior, and more).
In addition to the chemical effects, the physical act of exercise is a great way to burn off extra energy that might be contributing to your stress levels.
Clearer Skin
Since exercise makes you sweat, the idea that it can help clear your skin may seem counterintuitive. However, research has revealed that exercise can help increase the body’s antioxidants! In turn, these antioxidants help protect your body from free radicals and oxidative stress, which can damage your cells.
Improved Sleep Quality
The most obvious way that working out can help you sleep better is by making you more tired during the day. However, it helps in a few other ways as well. One, your body temperature will be more elevated than usual during the day, which helps you fall asleep more easily when it drops again at night. Two, the general stress reduction you can get from working out also helps ease any late-night jitters.
More Energy
This also might seem contradictory, but exercising regularly can give you more energy! With a higher level of fitness, common activities like walking or cleaning the house won’t wear you out as quickly. Plus, the increased oxygen and nutrients being delivered to your muscles in your freshly circulating blood energizes your body.
So, next time you’re tempted to skip your usual workout, think about these great benefits that you’ll feel almost immediately. Here’s to making 2023 the year of successful resolutions!
