We all know it is good to move our bodies, but when it comes to those who love sports, are they at an advantage? From students who excel in physical education or sports teams, to adults who are part of an athletic club — or even full-time athletes — these are the people who love to live and breathe sport.
So, are people in these categories reaping more benefits than the average couch to runner type? Or the 3 times a week gym-goer?
This piece will look at the health benefits for those who are athletes by nature and nurture.
Being Active is Good for the Brain – Immediately
Interestingly, for those who exercise or play sports, the brain experiences some immediate benefits after a moderate to high intensity workout or sports session. For children aged 6 to 13, their cognitive function and thinking improve immediately after an exercise session, and for adults, those who experience short-term anxiety can expect to see an improvement immediately post-exercise too.
Being Active and Health Benefits
Being active can help reduce a variety of potential health risks. Some of these include a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke. Exercise can do this by lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels. To reap these benefits, 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise should be completed every week, and the more cardiovascular exercise that is done, the lower the risks.
Being Active and Academia
It is true that those who are physically active could be impacting their academic or work performance in a positive way. Being active is a fantastic way to improve a variety of brain processes such as switching between tasks effectively, moving information from short-term memory to long-term memory, and enhancing attention spans.
For those who are interested in combining both academia and the benefits of fitness, why not consider applying for an athletics scholarship? Browse asmscholarships.com for more information!
Being Active and Beauty Benefits
Being active is great for the body, there is no doubt about that, but there are also benefits to the beauty side of wellness too! Exercise helps blood circulation around the body, which can be responsible for numerous amounts of beauty side effects. Healthy blood circulation helps the hair grow by promoting blood to the scalp and the hair follicles, which can also prevent hair loss too. Exercise also promotes blood circulation to the skin’s surface, which helps supply essential nutrients to the skin and encourages perspiration which releases toxins.
Being Active and Protecting Bones and Muscles
Being active can go a long way into protecting the bones and joints in the body, which have to last us our lifetime! Moderate to intense exercise can assist in slowing down the loss of bone density and also preserve the muscles, which start to lose their mass from age 30 onwards. Engaging in a sport or a moderately paced exercise is also a great way to reduce the risk of breaking or fracturing bones.