People have a complicated relationship with exercising, kinda like most of the relationships we have in life. To say that people are divided into those who like working out and those who don’t is an understatement. There are many more nuances to it.
There are those who enjoy working out and the rush of adrenaline that comes with it, and there are those who don’t like exercising but are committed to their body and the results they can get, both in health and appearance. And finally there are those who don’t like working out at all, finding exercise either too boring or too difficult.
The recommended amount of exercise is 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity. But according to the CDC, almost half of Americans don’t get enough exercise or don’t get any at all.
If you find yourself in the 50% of people that don’t really do much exercising, you might learn a few things below about exercising regularly that’ll make you want to hop over to the other side:

1. Exercise can make you happy-er
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are chemicals that relieve stress and pain. It is believed they work similarly to opioids, producing strong feelings of well-being and euphoria. Since exercising forces you to focus on the task at hand, it takes your mind off stress by not allowing you to overthink, as well as gives you feelings of accomplishment when you finish your routine.
Overall, doing some cardio on a stressful day can be as efficient as taking anti-anxiety medication.

2. Lack of exercise leads to poor quality of life
It’s all fun and games until we hit our thirties! After the age of 30, people who are inactive start losing about 3-5% of muscle mass every decade.
What’s the problem with that, you ask?
Well, for one, it can lead to a syndrome called Sarcopenia, characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, and causing weakness, loss of stamina, and limited mobility.
Exercise, particularly resistance and strength training, and proper nutrition are considered the primary preventive measures for this syndrome.

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3. Exercise decreases the risk of insulin resistance
Insulin is a hormone that regulates the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins by ensuring the absorption of glucose from the blood into the liver, fat and skeletal muscle cells. As we age, our bodies don’t respond to insulin as well as it used to, a fact that can lead to insulin resistance, increasing the risks of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Regular exercise like aerobic or strength training decreases the risk of insulin resistance by increasing the number of glucose transporters that help cells respond to insulin more efficiently.

4. It can help you sleep better
If you have trouble falling asleep or toss and turn all night long, you might want to consider doing some exercises. Moderate aerobic exercises can help increase the amount of deep sleep you get every night.
You only need 30 minutes of exercise to see an improvement in your sleep pattern that same night.

What other benefits have you noticed when exercising?