When was the last time you got light to moderate exercise more than three days in a week? Most people today live a sedentary lifestyle, which means we spend most of our time sitting. If you don’t exercise often, any kind of physical activity can lead to an injury. An afternoon playing your favorite sport, a home remodeling project or even some heavy cleaning may be enough to bring on a repetitive strain injury.

Only about 1 in 5 adults and teens gets the recommended amount of exercise per week. This is a big reason why conditions like obesity, diabetes and heart disease are so common. There are many different medications on the market that claim to help people lose weight. However, none of them deliver the same health benefits as cardiovascular exercise. There’s no substitute for moving your body and getting your heart pumping. 

Understanding the benefits of cardiovascular exercise can be a great motivator in itself. This article lists 10 benefits you can expect from regular cardiovascular exercise.

What is cardiovascular exercise?

Cardiovascular exercise or aerobic exercise is any sustained activity that gets your heart beating faster. The ideal heart rate for cardiovascular exercise is different for everyone — it should be about 50% to 70% of your maximum heart rate. Activities like jogging, cycling, swimming and walking make great cardiovascular exercise. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of heart-pumping physical activity per week, spread out over most days. You should also do moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (like resistance or weights) at least two days per week.

10 benefits of cardiovascular exercise

When you challenge your heart, lungs and muscles to work a little harder, they get stronger. Better circulation from regular exercise improves many vital functions in the body, from your immune system to blood sugar regulation. You’ll start to have more energy, and there’s a good chance you’ll notice more endurance and a better mood.

There’s no “easy button” to take care of your exercise for you. However, there are ways to make it more fun and more convenient. Finding an exercise buddy can help keep you accountable for working out, and some company on walks or bike rides can make them more enjoyable. There are even some video games on certain consoles like the Nintendo Wii or virtual reality systems that make great exercise. Dancing definitely counts as exercise, too! 

Going to a gym can make it easier to get exercise when the weather isn’t great. However, spending money on a gym membership doesn’t always motivate people to use it. It can be helpful if you like swimming or group classes. At the very least, you can try making a playlist of music that makes you want to move. Or try to find some scenery you can enjoy, like a lakefront, a park or a nature preserve.

When you get the recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise each week, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

• Better circulation — Cardiovascular exercise improves your circulation in a couple of different ways. A strong heart can pump blood through your system more effectively, and your blood can carry more oxygen to every part of your body when you exercise often. This helps you fight off infections and heal wounds faster. It also helps you feel stronger and more alert.
• Better sleep — You’ll fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper, more restful sleep with regular cardiovascular exercise. When your body is tired from working out, you get more REM sleep, which is important for your brain health and mental health. Just be careful not to exercise too close to bedtime since it takes your body some time to wind down.
• Lower risk of serious health conditions — Cardiovascular exercise reduces the risk of many common health conditions. It helps regulate your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar while protecting against metabolic syndrome. All of these things are risk factors for serious conditions like heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking also strengthen your bones to help lower the risk of osteoporosis.
• Better overall heart health — Cardio helps keep your blood vessels healthy and regulates the levels of lipids, triglycerides, sugars, oxygen and other components in your blood. Of course, it keeps your heart muscles strong and functioning at their best. It also helps control your overall blood pressure and resting heart rate.
• Helps regulate blood sugar — Maintaining healthy blood sugar is important for preventing Type 2 diabetes. Those who have diabetes have shown improved sensitivity to insulin and better glycemic control after exercise training. You’ll also notice more consistent energy levels and fewer cravings for sugary foods when you’re exercising regularly. 
• Lower stress level — Yes, your body releases endorphins after a good workout. But that’s only one of the reasons why it helps you relax. Exercise helps you feel grounded in your body and reduces the effects of stress, such as your fight-or-flight response. Better sleep, improved circulation, more strength and the other benefits listed here all help lower your stress level. 
• Helps you maintain a healthy weight — Again, the benefits of exercise go far beyond the obvious. In addition to burning calories, better heart health, blood sugar levels, digestion and all-around fitness add up to help you maintain a healthy weight. Toning your muscles with some strength training a couple of days per week will help you get more out of your cardio.
• Improved immune function — Exercise boosts your production of a wide range of different immune cells, and it helps you fight inflammation. It also helps you maintain a healthy gut microbiome and aids digestion, which helps prevent things like irritable bowel syndrome. In general, staying strong and keeping your body in better condition makes you more resilient to all kinds of common health problems.
• Improved stamina, fitness and strength — When you start to exercise more often, you’ll notice more strength and stamina in everyday activities like climbing stairs and lifting things. Your lung function will improve, and many people see improvements with joint conditions like osteoarthritis. Of course, your capacity for exercise will increase, too. If walking a mile seems unthinkable right now, know that it will get easier.
• Better mood and cognitive function — All of the health benefits of regular cardio, including better sleep, better brain function and more endorphins, contribute to a better overall mood. Some other perks you might notice include more energy, a better ability to focus, a better appetite and better sexual function.

Get a personalized plan for safe and effective cardiovascular exercise at Rehab Access

So what do you do if you haven’t exercised in several years, or if you have a health condition that makes it difficult? It’s a good idea to begin with just 10 minutes a day for a few days a week and gradually increase. There are no hard-and-fast rules about what counts as exercise and what doesn’t. You don’t need to have any special clothes or a gym membership. As long as it’s something you enjoy and it gets your body moving, it’s a good start.

At Rehab Access, it’s our job to help make fitness a fun and safe part of your routine. We work with a lot of patients who have arthritis, chronic pain, injuries and other conditions that can make it hard to exercise. Our PTs are great at creating individual exercise plans that help people work toward their unique fitness goals. They can even help you troubleshoot your exercise challenges to find activities that work for your body and your lifestyle. 

Do you have questions about starting an exercise program? We can help! Call us or request an appointment today. Let’s talk about your wellness goals and start creating your customized fitness plan.