The benefits of exercise

Lack of exercise and activity can contribute to a significant deterioration in physical health.

In fact, there is good evidence to suggest that a lack of physical activity is the biggest public health problem of the 21st century, with poor aerobic fitness being attributed to more preventable deaths than other preventable risk factors such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes.

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Maintaining appropriate levels of physical activity and exercise are essential for good health. Here are just a few of the general benefits of exercise:

• Improve overall health and longevity

• Reduces fatigue and increases energy

• Reduces pain and disability perceptions

• Helps protect individuals from the harmful effects of stress (and reduces sensitivity to stressful situations)

• Prevents and reduces depression, anxiety, anger and irritability

• Helps maintain a positive outlook, improves perceptions of personal problems and how to resolve them

• Improves confidence, self-esteem and motivation

• Improves perceptions of enjoyment and happiness

• Improves cognitive functions such as short-term memory, selective attention, reaction time and learning speed

• Helps to improve quality of sleep

• Helps to prevent constipation

• Significantly reduces chances of stroke and numerous cancers

• Strengthen the cardiovascular system and reduce probability of heart disease

• Helps with daily structure and appropriate pacing strategies

• Conditions the respiratory system

• Increases muscle strength (make previously challenging tasks much easier and less stressful)

• Helps with weight control

• Reduces muscular tension

• Improves flexibility

• Increases endurance and stamina

• Helps balance and co-ordination

• Prepares you for and ultimately reduces recovery time post-surgery

• Makes pregnancy and child birth less painful and reduces recovery time

Video by: Dr. Mike Evans. The founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, an Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and a staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital.