Sport is healthy: every child knows that by now. We are more enlightened than ever, and yet a lack of exercise is a burden for many people. Our bodies depend on exercise because it keeps our cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems in good shape. However, when it comes to our health, not every sport is suitable and there are a lot of things that can go wrong.
Why sport is good for us
Do you also know the pleasant feeling that comes after a sporting activity? You feel fit and are extremely satisfied with yourself and your performance, sometimes you could even tear down trees. On a physical level, sport strengthens the cardiovascular system, the musculoskeletal system and the immune system. This prevents diseases such as diabetes, arteriosclerosis or osteoporosis. From a psychological point of view, exercise also improves our mood.
The reason why exercise makes you happy is due to a number of complex processes in our body. After just a few minutes, the happiness hormone dopamine begins to be released, making us more alert and focused. The activity is easier for us overall and helps us to continue pursuing our goals. There is a simple reason for these positive effects: dopamine creates a reward effect in the brain. After training, however, the dopamine level drops again and serotonin takes over. This hormone creates a feeling of well-being and inner satisfaction.
With regular training, it is even possible to permanently increase the dopamine concentration in many regions of the brain. Intensive sessions also reduce the concentration of the stress hormone cortisol in the long term and can contribute to a higher stress tolerance. In addition, we also lose weight through exercise, or at least maintain it, reducing fat mass and building muscle mass. This increases the basal metabolic rate and reduces the risk of diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes.
Sport prolongs life
Over a period of 25 years, scientists have investigated which sports increase life expectancy. The result of the “Copenhagen City Heart“ study was surprising, as some sports showed a significantly increased life span. Tennis (+ 9,7 years), badminton (+ 6,2 years) and football (+ 4,7 years) top the list, but cycling (+ 3,7 years), swimming (+ 3,4 years) and jogging (+ 3,2 years) are also at the top.
Your sport wasn't listed? Don't worry! According to a study from 2011, any physical activity over 15 minutes a day increases life expectancy.
These sports promote health
In fact, not every sport is equally suitable for promoting long-term health. In addition, the individual condition of each person must be taken into account when selecting activities. This includes previous organic diseases and other limitations such as injuries or misalignments. Sports that involve calm and flowing movements are considered to be particularly beneficial to health. These mainly include swimming, cycling, gymnastics, hiking or moderate strength training to strengthen problem areas such as the back. Intensity also plays a role in maintaining health. In this regard, 30 minutes of training three times a week is enough to promote positive effects. Now you are probably wondering whether there is one sport that can guarantee you health. A British study has found evidence for this. According to the research, so-called "racket sports" such as tennis and squash are said to have the greatest protective effect on cardiovascular disease.
Which sports should be avoided and is there a happy medium?
“More is better” definitely does not apply to sport. A healthy balance should always be maintained, because not doing any physical exercise is just as unhealthy as doing too much or the “wrong” type of sport. To the extent that there are “wrong types of sport” at all, this refers to unsuitable movements that damage our musculoskeletal system and our joints. Abrupt braking movements, jumping or jolts caused by jogging on hard surfaces mean a strong impact on the joints and thus long-term wear and tear.
Likewise, it is not good for your health to put strain on your body through excessive exercise. Training that is too intensive can have the exact opposite effect and overload the cardiovascular system. US researchers have discovered, for example, that extreme endurance sports can lead to structural changes in the tissue in the heart. In addition, when you are overexerting yourself, the stress hormone cortisol is released, which reduces the production of the hormones testosterone and thyroxine. This means that even with intensive training, muscle mass is broken down more.
It is a widely held belief that sore muscles are not a big deal. This is basically true, but they also clearly indicate that the body or a certain muscle group has been overexerted and should not be ignored. Intensive exercise causes small tears in the muscle fibers, which then manifest themselves as sore muscles. For this reason, rest periods after exercise are particularly important to give the body a chance to recover. If this is not adhered to, cortisol levels can be permanently elevated and the body can be under constant stress. Not only does general well-being suffer from this situation, but problems sleeping and falling asleep can also arise, which can be a real challenge in the long term. But you still need rest even if you don't have sore muscles after training.
Our training tips for more health
If you already exercise, congratulations! You're probably already doing a lot of things right. However, there are a few training recommendations that, if followed, will have a positive effect on your health.
Tip No. 1 – Regular exercise
To get your body and circulation going, you should exercise regularly. We recommend three to five sessions per week for 30 to 45 minutes each. Don't overdo it!
Tip No. 2 – Choose the right sport
Moderate endurance sports are ideal for promoting health. These include cycling, running, hiking, gymnastics or strength training. Squash and tennis in particular have positive long-term effects on the cardiovascular system.
Tip No. 3 – Take breaks
No matter how much training or what sport you do, after training you should generally have a rest period in which your body gets time to recover. Modern fitness watches or bands conveniently calculate the recommended rest period based on your stress levels.
Tip No. 4 – Make sure you have enough
If you want to stay healthy for as long as possible, you should always give your body what it needs. Sufficient fluids and food are the basis of a functioning organism. If you do intensive sport, you should therefore avoid dieting.
Tip No. 5 – Push your limits
Repetitions are particularly necessary when doing strength training and this can sometimes be strenuous. This is the only way to take your body to the next level. Push yourself to your limits, but don't overdo it!
So, are you looking forward to the next training session?
Sources
Literature:
Chodzko-Zajko, Wojtek. “Successful aging in the new millennium: The role of regular physical activity.”Quest52.4 (2000): 333-343.
Oja, Pekka, et al. “Associations of specific types of sports and exercise with all-cause and cardiovascular-disease mortality: a cohort study of 80 306 British adults.”British Journal of Sports Medicine51.10 (2017): 812-817.
Schnohr, Peter, et al. “Various leisure-time physical activities associated with widely divergent life expectancies: the Copenhagen City Heart Study.”Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Vol. 93. No. 12. Elsevier, 2018.
Wen, Chi Pang, et al. “Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study.”The lancet378.9798 (2011): 1244-1253.
O'Keefe, James H., and Carl J. Lavie. “Run for your life… at a comfortable speed and not too far.” (2013): 516-519.
Paelecke-Habermann, Yvonne. “Reward learning in addiction and depression.” (2009).
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