I hate to state the obvious, but…
Most of us by now know that getting enough cardio is vital to our overall health. However, do we know exactly what benefits come from getting that heart rate up? Below, I talk about my favorite benefits of doing cardio. Check it out!
1.) It is all about the mood baby
One of my favorite reasons to incorporate cardio into your life is all about the endorphins. We know that when our bodies release endorphins it is a huge mood booster. Along with making you smile, running can be great for anxiety and depression. I know personally, I love taking long runs and sorting out my thoughts. Try it sometime!
2.) Catching all those ZZZ’s
Who doesn’t like sleep? If you often find yourself restless at night, getting a dose of cardio can actually help you achieve REM sleep. Which means for you, you wake up bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to conquer the world.
3.) Up and At Em’
It may seem counter-intuitive, but did you know after getting hot and sweaty you will actually have more pep in your step? That’s right, any type of cardio is going to wake you up and make you feel as though you just had a triple shot of espresso. So run, Forest, run!
4.) Losing weight
I’m sorry for stating the obvious here but; weight loss, Duh! The top secret magic equation to losing weight is using more calories than you consume on a daily basis. And cardio is probably the most efficient way to torch those extra calories. If you are not hugely into running and wanted to find a fun way to burn calories Zumba is a super fun fitness class that most gyms offer as a class. So go get your groove on!
5.) Hello Brainpower
Regular exercise stimulates the release of growth hormone. Growth hormone regulates the health of new and existing brain cells. Studies have also shown that people who exercise more frequently have larger volume in parts of the brain that control memory. So basically, running makes you a Brainiac.
There you have it! Who knew all you had to do was run to become a superhuman. Now there are many more reasons to incorporate cardio into your life, but these are most definitely my favorite. Do your research, you will find there are plenty of cool articles on how cardio affects different body functions.
