What is quality of life?
We often hear of “improved quality of life” in different contexts. For example, a job may promise an improved quality of life. Or a medication may be touted to improve your quality of life by treating a specific condition. Or you may have heard that exercise can improve your quality of life. In public health, improved quality of life can be as simple as the availability of clean drinking water.
Generally, “quality of life” is defined as “the degree to which an individual is healthy, comfortable, and able to participate in or enjoy life events.” As you can see, quality of life can be a vague term that means different things to different people. To me, quality of life is the ability and capacity to carry out your heart’s desires and fulfill your purpose.
What can improve your quality of life
Many factors can improve your quality of life, including money, job satisfaction, family support, good roads, suitable housing, good health, security, a healthy lifestyle, etc. Also, regular exercise can improve your quality of life. Yet, more than 60 percent of U.S. women do not engage in the recommended amount of physical activity. Why is this? Lack of motivation is one of the commonest reasons why we don’t exercise. Let’s delve deeper into this.
What motivates people to exercise regularly?
Before I go on, please take this brief survey.
Which of the following is most likely to successfully motivate you to keep exercising?
A. Lose weight and body fat, so you look fit, trim, and slim.
B. Stay healthy and prevent heart disease and other chronic diseases.
C. Improve your quality of life to be more active and engage in any activity that interests you.
Research shows that improved quality of life provides a deeper motivation to exercise than weight loss or health. I found this result quite interesting because we usually focus on the health benefits of physical activity as health professionals. For more on the health benefits of exercise, check out “Exercise: A Path to Better Health for Women over Forty.”
Upon further reflection, it makes absolute sense that we focus more on our quality of life than our physical appearance or health. As humans, we focus on the here and now. That is just how we function! Therefore, today’s goal is to shift your focus away from exercise’s health and physical appearance benefits. Instead, let’s review how exercise can improve your quality of life so you can enjoy the here and now.
10 ways exercise can improve your quality of life
1) Exercise prevents depression and anxiety
Exercise is a natural mood lifter. Exercise causes the release of serotonin and other feel-good hormones that ward off depression and prevent anxiety. Studies show that exercise can be equally as effective as medication or therapy for improving depressive symptoms. However, please work with your doctor to find the best treatment for you if you show signs of depression.
2) Exercise increases your energy and productivity
Exercise releases hormones that help boost your energy. Let’s go into some fundamental Physics. Remember Sir Isaac Newton’s first law of motion? “A body at motion stays in motion; a body at rest stays at rest.” Once you start moving, the natural tendency is to keep moving. This energy can be harnessed for use in your job and other activities, causing you to be more productive. Moreover, exercise increases your muscular strength, enabling you to engage in other physical activities.
3) Exercise improves your sex life
Studies show that men who exercise regularly are less likely than physically inactive men to experience erectile dysfunction. Exercise also increases sexual arousal in women. In one study, 20 minutes of cycling significantly boosted women’s sexual arousal. Now, before you all go cycling, you can obtain similar results from other forms of physical activity too.
4) Exercise makes you sleep better
As we grow older, getting an adequate amount of sleep becomes even more crucial. Inadequate sleep can cause you to lose focus, have memory lapses, not think clearly, and can cause you to be depressed. Exercise helps you fall asleep faster and stay in a deep sleep longer.
5) Exercise slows down the aging process
We are all going to age if we are fortunate to live long enough. However, regular exercise can slow down the effects of aging, such as not being able to move easily or fast enough. Slowing down the aging process means you will be able to stay independent longer and enjoy your life better. Studies show that if you are more active at midlife, you are more likely to be in better health as you age.
6) Exercise reduces stress
Stress is an inevitable part of life. Unfortunately, excessive stress can lower your quality of life and lead to chronic diseases like heart disease. Exercise causes a release of stress-reducing feel-good hormones that help you manage stress.
7) Exercise makes you smarter
Believe it or not, exercise keeps your mind sharp. The increased blood flow to your brain during exercise helps your brain function better. Overall, exercise sharpens your memory, thinking, learning, and judgment skills.
8) Exercise strengthens your immunity
Regular exercise helps regulate your immune system. It helps you produce more antibodies and immune cells to fight off infections such as the common cold, flu, etc. Studies show lower levels of inflammation in adults who exercise regularly, supporting the overall anti-inflammatory effect of exercise.
9) Exercise improves your self-image and self-confidence
Research shows that regular physical activity is associated with higher self-esteem. Exercise has transformational power. As you invest in your body, soul, and spirit through exercise, you experience a boost in your confidence level. Engaging in moderate physical activity creates a feeling of accomplishment which transfers to other areas of your life. The strength you gain both physically and in your inner mind keeps you motivated. Exercise teaches you discipline, patience, perseverance, resilience, commitment, and many more great virtues. Overall, exercise helps you develop a positive attitude and outlook towards life.
10) Exercise helps you eat more and eat better
Most of us have tried one or more diets in the past and have experienced how restrictive diets can be. Generally, it is easier to add something to your life than to remove something from it. So, let’s forget about restrictive diets for a moment, and add regular exercise. Eventually, according to research, regular exercise will likely motivate you to eat healthier and regulate your food intake.
Final Thoughts
How much exercise is needed to improve your quality of life? Aim for a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week to obtain all these benefits. Do you struggle with finding the motivation to exercise regularly? A mindset change may be all you need. A mindset change is the most important predictor of exercise success. To find out how to change your mindset, please read “Change your Mindset towards Exercise.”
For me, I can confidently say exercise has improved my quality of life in ALL the 10 ways above. But I have seen the most significant impact in #2 and #9. Not only have I experienced an increase in my energy and productivity, my self-image and self-confidence have also improved significantly. Which of the above quality of life benefits of exercise are most important to you? Please share in the comments section below.
Yours in health and fitness,
Doctor Abi
