Exercise to Avoid Burnout

Whether it’s work, school, or some other endeavor, the day-in, day-out grind can sometimes leave you feeling fried.  There are lots of benefits to regular exercise, and you can add this one to the list:  Being physically fit may help you avoid burnout.

A new European study shows that individuals who performed better on fitness tests were less likely to report feeling burned out than those with lower fitness scores.  Additionally, regular exercise can help keep you fresh mentally.

And forget about the “I don’t have time” excuse.  You don’t have to be at the gym for hours every day to realize the benefits revealed in the study.  Just 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 3-5 days a week, can help you ease tension and reduce stress.  You can even divide the 30 minutes into two or three smaller intervals, if it’s convenient.

Regular exercise can help put the spark back into your step by boosting your energy level and improving your mood.

Take care to get adequate sleep and adhere to a healthy diet.  Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Get STRONGER, Get FASTER!

Your thoughts?

Exercise to Avoid Burnout

Whether it’s work, school, or some other endeavor, the day-in, day-out grind can sometimes leave you feeling fried.  There are lots of benefits to regular exercise, and you can add this one to the list:  Being physically fit may help you avoid burnout.

A new European study shows that individuals who performed better on fitness tests were less likely to report feeling burned out than those with lower fitness scores.  Additionally, regular exercise can help keep you fresh mentally.

And forget about the “I don’t have time” excuse.  You don’t have to be at the gym for hours every day to realize the benefits revealed in the study.  Just 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity, 3-5 days a week, can help you ease tension and reduce stress.  You can even divide the 30 minutes into two or three smaller intervals, if it’s convenient.

Regular exercise can help put the spark back into your step by boosting your energy level and improving your mood.

Take care to get adequate sleep and adhere to a healthy diet.  Drink plenty of water throughout the day.

Get STRONGER, Get FASTER!

Your thoughts?

Exercise to Boost Your Immune System

Cold and flu season is upon us, and a strong immune system can help protect your body from these and other diseases.  Proper nutrition and adequate sleep are necessary to keep your immune system functioning optimally, but the Cleveland Clinic reports that moderate, consistent exercise may be even more important to the health of your immune system.  Regular exercise strengthens your immune system and gives you a better chance to avoid the cold or flu — as well as other serious health conditions.

Exercise and Immunity

Moderate, consistent exercise seems to protect us from catching colds and the flu.  Research continues to support a link between regular exercise and a healthy immune system.  Moderate exercise has been linked to a positive immune system response and a temporary boost in the production of macrophages, the cells that attack bacteria.  It is believed that regular, consistent exercise can lead to substantial benefits in immune system health over the long-term.

More recent studies have demonstrated that there are physiological changes in the immune system as a response to exercise.  During moderate exercise immune cells circulate through the body more quickly and are better able to kill bacteria and viruses.  After exercise ends, the immune system generally returns to normal within a few hours, but consistent, regular exercise seems to make these changes persist.

According to professor David Nieman, Dr. PH., of Appalachian State University, when moderate exercise is repeated on a near-daily basis there is a cumulative effect that leads to a long-term immune response.  His research showed that those who walk at 70-75 percent of their VO2 Max (lung capacity) for 40 minutes per day had half as many sick days due to colds or sore throats as those who don’t exercise.

Stress and Immunity

Psychological stress can also impair immunity and lead to an increase of cold and flu infections.  While regular exercise lowers your risk for illness, the physical activity also decreases your stress — an enemy of a healthy immune system.  Aerobic workouts help reduce stress, anger, and depression by allowing your body to release healthy chemicals called endorphins that aid relaxation.  Endorphins are sometimes described as the body’s natural painkillers.  Reducing stress benefits more than your immune system; stress can also make you more likely to suffer fatigue and sleeping problems.

Exercise Duration

Aim for at least 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise up to five days a week as an effective way to protect the health of your immune system.  Keep in mind strength training is also effective, provided you keep your heart rate moderately elevated and avoid prolonged rest intervals.  Higher levels of aerobic activity typically provide a better chance for significant weight loss and increased energy.  The key is to start your exercise regimen at a reasonable pace and add to it when your body feels ready.

Be aware, there is also evidence that too much intense exercise can reduce immunity.  There is research that shows that more than 90 minutes of high-intensity endurance exercise can make athletes susceptible to illness for up to 72 hours after the exercise session.  Intense exercise seems to cause a temporary decrease in immune system function.  Research has found that during intense physical exertion, the body produces certain hormones that temporarily lower immunity.

If you are feeling run-down or have feelings of general heaviness and fatigue, you may need to cut back on your workouts.  If you are already “under the weather,” you should be careful about exercising too intensely.  Your immune system is already taxed by fighting your infection, and additional stress could prolong your recovery.  As a rule, if you have mild cold symptoms and no fever, light-to-moderate exercise may help you feel a little better and actually boost your immune system.  Intense exercise will only make things worse and likely extend your illness.

Get STRONGER, Get FASTER!

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