by Nicole Liu
Aerobic exercise is a type of physical exercise that utilizes the aerobic generating energy process. This essentially means that during aerobic exercise, oxygen is used to meet energy demands during exercise. Aerobic exercise is especially beneficial for a person’s lungs and circulatory system. Aerobic exercise differs from anaerobic exercise in that anaerobic exercises like weightlifting requires short bursts of energy at maximum effort. On the other hand, aerobic exercises are usually performed for a sustained period of time at a low to high intensity. Some types of aerobic exercises are running, cycling, and jump-roping.
During aerobic exercise, a person will repeatedly move areas of large muscle in their arms and legs. This results in faster breathing, and a faster heart rate which increases blood flow to the muscles. Capillaries will widen to enable a higher delivery of oxygen to the muscles and also to carry away waste products. Eventually, aerobic exercise can actually lead to an overall increase in the abundance of capillaries and wider arteries.
A long term effect of aerobic exercise is an increase in a person’s stamina and strength. As you continue to exercise, you increase fitness in your heart, and lungs and also promote strength in your bones and muscles. Often, as a person begins to exercise more, their heart’s capacity to send blood to the muscles gets more efficient, which occurs, as a result, of larger ventricles. This will lead to a slower resting heart rate. Another long-term effect of aerobic exercise is a reduction of health risks like obesity, heart disease, and even some types of cancer. Weight-bearing aerobic exercises can even decrease the risk of osteoporosis. Additionally, aerobic exercise can also help to manage chronic conditions, for example, it can reduce pain and stiffness in people with arthritis. Aerobic exercise can also reduce the buildup of plaques in arteries by boosting the production of high-density lipoprotein, which is good cholesterol, and reducing the production of low-density lipoprotein, which is bad cholesterol. Lastly, it can also stimulate the immune system and improve sleep.
However, aerobic exercise not only has positive effects on a person’s body but also on a person’s mind. As mentioned previously, blood flow increases during aerobic exercise, and therefore, more oxygen is pumped to the brain. This leads to the release of specific hormones that encourages the growth of brain cells. Aerobic exercise can also promote brain plasticity through the stimulation of new connections between cells in important regions of the brain. Additionally, exercise can also have a positive effect on a person’s mental health. For example, a runner’s high is a brief state of euphoria and relaxation that occurs after a run. It is caused by the release of endorphins in response to discomfort. The runner’s high has been correlated with a drop in stress hormones and an increase in cell growth in the hippocampus, which is the part of the brain that is responsible for learning and memory.
However, despite all of these positive effects of aerobic exercise, there are also some risks. Since aerobic exercise usually involves repetitive movement of muscles, it can lead to the overuse of muscles.
Overuse of muscles during aerobic exercises can lead to stress fractures and shin splints. But mixing up exercises and including rest periods can decrease the chances of getting injures. Additionally, too much aerobic exercise can also have negative effects on the heart. For example, excessive running can thicken heart tissue causing fibrosis or scarring, which can lead to an irregular heartbeat. Despite some of these negative effects of aerobic exercise on the body, the pros still outweigh the cons.
It is evident that aerobic exercise can have many positive effects on a person’s mind and body over time. Even going on a run twice a week can benefit your health. Not only that but aerobic exercise can be extremely versatile, there are many activities that you can practice and many of them don’t require too much time or equipment. So if you have time this week, try going for a short run or bike ride and you will quickly feel the benefits of doing so.
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