The powers of a steady fitness routine are impressive: regular exercise can help you build stronger muscles, stave off chronic illnesses, and make your clothes fit a whole lot better.
But there’s another benefit of physical activity that deserves a shout-out: the way even moderate amounts seem to shave years off your age, no matter how many birthdays you’ve actually celebrated. Of course, you can’t change your chronological age, but exercise can improve your health to the point where you look and feel younger than you are, says Frank Frisch, PhD, director of kinesiology at Chapman University in Orange, Calif.
Here are some of the top physical and mental effects a sweat session can have on your brain and body.
- Exercise gives you more vim and vigor
- Exercise keeps your skin soft and glowing
- Exercise improves your posture
- Exercise improves your flexibility
- Exercise boosts your mood
- Exercise helps you sleep soundly
- Exercise keeps your metabolism high
- Exercise slows cell aging
- Exercise relieves stress
- Exercise enhances your memory
