These Are the 6 Top Benefits of Working Out 

When we think about the benefits of exercise, we tend to focus exclusively on the physical gains, the change in our physique, and the decrease of overall body fat. Don’t get me wrong, these are all great outcomes of working out regularly. But there are many more benefits of exercise that we don’t really think about half the time—and yet these are the most important benefits of training! When we make it a habit to focus on all the positive things exercise does for our bodies, it’s easier to incorporate it into our daily routine. 

There are so many different parts of our life that benefit greatly from exercising regularly—our physical and mental health, our emotional state, our personal relationships, our professional career, etc. Everything improves when we workout on a regular basis, and the longterm benefits are aplenty. There are all sorts of ways to keep up a normal exercise routine, so choose whatever you like to do best and stick to it. The more time you spend taking care of your health, the more you’ll see your life improve in all sorts of ways. 

Here are six benefits of exercise that you don’t want to pass up. 

Increased Lean Muscle Mass 

This is the number one benefit of exercise that we all know of. The more you workout, the more you generate lean muscle mass in the body, which helps you lower overall body fat. Of course this means you’ll change your physique and look better in your clothes, but there’s much more to the equation than that. Increased muscle mass speeds up your metabolism, which helps you burn more calories in the long run. 

Stronger Bones and Supple Joints  

Aesthetic benefits of exercise are just the start. When we’re young we don’t consider the longterm benefits of exercise. We tend to just think about how much better we’ll look shirtless or how much weight we’ll be able to deadlift. But there are many internal benefits that we don’t really think about until we get older. For example, the more you exercise, the stronger your bones get. This doesn’t sound so exciting when you’re 30 years old, but when you’re pushing 70 one day and you’re still functioning at a pretty good level while everyone else your age is struggling, you’ll be thankful that you put in all those years of work. Bone mass peaks in your 30s and after that we tend to lose bone mass at a pretty steady rate. Exercising regularly will actually prevent bone mass loss as you get older.

We also know that working out regularly gives you supple, more resilient joints. Inactivity and a lack of movement results in a weaker body and stiff joints, which can very easily lead to injury
and chronic pain. Exercise is commonly prescribed for people who suffer from arthritis and joint pain. If you workout regularly you can equip your body with strong armor to avoid serious injury.

Better Sleep 

Sleep is the bedrock of our health but we don’t see many trainers and coaches talking about the power of getting high-quality shuteye. A lack of sleep messes up our body in all kinds of ways—short-term memory loss, increased levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin, moodiness, excess body fat, etc. Luckily, exercise is the first thing to add to your routine if you want to sleep better at night. Even better if you can workout outside in the early morning. This will help your body produce high levels of serotonin, the happy chemical, and suppress melatonin, which makes you feel more alert in the morning and more tired at night when it’s time to go to sleep. 

There are a lot of busy people who struggle with insomnia and disrupted sleep, and this makes it extremely difficult to face the challenges we face in life. To avoid any sleep issues, workout on a regular basis, get your heart rate up, and make yourself tired. This will make it much easier to sleep eight hours each night and give your body the rest it desperately needs. 

Improved Mood

It’s not a myth—you really do put yourself in a better mood when you exercise more often. The endorphin rush is real, which is why you feel slightly high after finishing up your run or ending a workout. Endorphins relieve stress and pain, and they’re often responsible for feelings of euphoria. It’s not exactly easy to have a bad day when you’re experiencing feelings of euphoria, so get to the gym as often as you can, because you’ll put yourself in a better mood and juggle stresses better.

Increased Sex Drive 

Those are the magic words that will have everyone rushing to the gym! Exercise increases your heart rate, strengthens muscle capability, and regulates your breathing—and all of those things can enhance sexual performance. Additionally, lifting weights increases the levels of testosterone in the body, and this is the very hormone that boosts sex drive and gets you more interested in sex. 

Clear Mind and More Energy 

The human body is meant to be challenged. The more we stimulate our body and our mind, the better we function in everyday life. When we workout regularly, we have a clear mind, we’re able to focus better, and we generate more energy. Think about how you feel after a morning workout compared to the days when you oversleep and just roll out of bed and into the office. You probably have more pep in your step after a morning gym visit and it’s just easier to deal with difficult people and be productive in general. That’s not a coincidence—it’s all because you took the time in the morning to workout and sweat. 

The Final Word

Before you start any kind of rigorous exercise routine, check with your doctor to make sure you’re cleared. Once you get into a steady groove of working out, you’ll see that the benefits just roll in. So keep putting in the work and reap the rewards of your commitment!