Ever
wonder why you feel so great after you break a sweat? Turns out, exercise isn't
just an effective flab-fighter -- it's a remedy for pretty much any troubling
health issue you are facing: anxiety, insomnia, back pain -- even hot flashes.
"When
it comes to preventing health problems, exercise is one of the best medicines
we have," says Dr. David Katz, founding director of the Yale University
Prevention Research Center.
But some
workouts are better than others for healing what ails you.
Try these active solutions:
Anxiety
A proven
way to ease anxiety naturally is with a bout of cardio, says Michael Otto,
co-author of "Exercise for Mood and Anxiety." Getting your heart
pumping increases the release of mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters, like
serotonin, norepinephrine and GABA, which is why you can feel like you're
sweating off stress during Spinning class.
The good
vibes continue: A study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports &
Exercise showed that doing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (jogging,
not sprinting) makes you more resilient against stressors hours later, like
preparing for that big meeting with your boss.
And over
the long term, "people who work out consistently report less overall
stress, anxiety and depression," Otto says.
Your fitness
Rx: Do a quick blast of cardio on the morning of a hectic day, or to unwind at
the end of one. If possible, take it outside -- numerous studies show that
fresh air provides a big mood boost.
Daytime
sleepiness
Instead
of leaning on caffeine (which can prevent you from falling asleep later,
causing drowsiness again the next day), get moving. Folks who meet the
recommended physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes a week are 65% less
likely to feel tuckered out during the day, a 2011 study found.
"Exercisers
fall asleep faster, suffer fewer middle-of-the-night wake-ups and have a
reduced risk of sleep disorders," says study co-author Brad Cardinal,
co-director of the sport and exercise psychology program at Oregon State
University.
Translation?
You'll snooze more soundly and feel more energized on the go.
"We
aren't sure why activity primes your body for sleep so well, but it's likely a
combination of factors, including lowering your core body temperature,
increasing the sleep-promoting hormone melatonin and supporting a biological
need to restore energy levels and repair cells and tissues when you
sleep," Cardinal says.
Your
fitness Rx: Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate activity. Try to work in
some yoga; a 2012 study found that practicing yoga along with deep-breathing
techniques relieved insomnia within four months. Wrap up your workout at least
three hours before you hit the sack: Exercise can be too stimulating near
bedtime.
Back
pain
The
supporting muscles around your spine become less resilient with age; sitting
hunched over a computer all day weakens them further. But the new thinking is
that rest isn't usually the answer.
"Research
has shown that a better fix, in most patients, is strength training,"
advises Wayne Westcott, an exercise scientist at Quincy College in
Massachusetts. "It can lessen pain by 30 to 80% in 10 to 12 weeks."
Developing
your lower-back, abdominal and oblique muscles takes pressure off your spine
and improves range of motion, both preventing and treating pain.
Your fitness
Rx: Two or three days a week of strength-training exercises, focusing on major
muscle groups (try the chest press, leg press and seated row) and lower-back
and ab work (the lower-back-and-ab machine). Aim for two to four sets of eight
to 16 reps each.
Low
sex drive
Look no
further than your local gym: In a Journal of Sexual Medicine study, women who
hit the treadmill for 20 minutes were more physiologically aroused while
viewing an erotic video than the group that didn't work out.
"Exercise
increases circulation to every area of your body," explains ob-gyn Dr.
Alyssa Dweck, co-author of "V Is for Vagina," and that makes us more
game for bedroom action.
Mentally,
regular workouts may help us get over body hang-ups, she adds. And the
feel-good endorphins released during exercise can bust through fatigue or
stress that drags down sex drive. (Having increased stamina won't hurt,
either.)
Your
fitness Rx: Add workouts that get your heart pumping and put you in touch with
your body, like Latin dance or Zumba. Dweck also recommends yoga positions that
increase blood flow to the pelvic area.
Food
cravings
If
you've been using willpower to resist those 3 p.m. chocolate urges -- and
failing miserably -- try a little activity instead. Here's why: "In
the throes of a craving, your brain is saying 'feed me dopamine!' -- that
neurotransmitter that taps into the reward center of your brain. You can satisfy
the call with carbs -- or with exercise," says Dr. John Ratey, author of
"Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain."
Both
fixes raise your dopamine levels significantly, but only one will have a
favorable effect on your tush.
Your
fitness Rx: When you get the vending machine crazies, take 15 minutes and go
for a brisk walk, which was shown in recent research to be all it takes to
short-circuit food cravings.
Weak
immune system
Aerobic
workouts are a natural cold-fighter, coaxing immune cells out of body tissues
and into the bloodstream, where they attack invading viruses and bacteria,
explains David Nieman, a professor at Appalachian State University, whose
research shows that five days of cardio a week reduced sick days by 43%.
Your
fitness Rx: Workouts that raise your heart rate can improve immunity. Good
options: Jog, cycle or take a dance class. Or, try a circuit workout (with
little or no rest in between exercises) for 30 minutes on most days of the
week. (Avoid intense exercise beyond 90 minutes, since that can increase your
risk of getting sick.)
That
little commitment is all you need to score a big health payoff.
Hot
flashes
During
menopause and the years leading up to it, 80% of women will suffer from
symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats. Exercise helps you maintain a
healthy BMI -- crucial if you're feeling the heat, since overweight women
report more severe symptoms -- and dials down stress, which can trigger
flashes, says Dweck.
It
doesn't take much: One 30-minute walk or run on the treadmill quelled hot
flashes by up to 74% over a 24-hour period, according to a study published in
the journal Menopause.
Your
fitness Rx: Cardio is crucial if you're dealing with the big M. Aim for 30
minutes, five days a week.
By Jessica Girdwain, Health.com
May 28,
2013 -- Updated 1223 GMT (2023 HKT)
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