It is very easy to fall into a sedentary lifestyle. It can be hard to motivate yourself to get up from the sofa while you are lost in your Netflix marathon. However, there are many health dangers that are associated with living a sedentary lifestyle.
You don’t need to work out at a gym for hours each day. But going out for a half-hour brisk walk whether it is outdoors or on the treadmill at home will be good enough to keep you healthy. Let’s look at 15 warning signs that your body may present to you that you need to move more.
#15 – Your Immune System Is Weak
You are catching one cold after another, or one infection after another such as bronchitis, and then a sinus infection. How often are you moving as well? If you are not moving enough, then that means your immune system is suffering as well. Exercise helps to strengthen the immune system. A stronger immune system will help you fight off these illnesses.
#14 – Your Blood Pressure Is Higher Than It Should Be
Lack of exercise puts a strain on your body which means you could have hypertension or high blood pressure. You want to keep your blood pressure at a reasonable level as your cardiovascular health depends on it. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. If you are moving, that will help the circulation and keep your blood pressure lower.
#13 – Stiff Lower Back
If you are sitting too much on your office chair at your desk or on the sofa, and not moving much otherwise, it can put a strain on your lower back. This can lead to more complications in addition to major back pain. Moving more will help alleviate some of that pain.
#12 – Your Appetite Is Unsatiable
It is counterintuitive to think that if you have not burned many calories that you would not be hungry. However, if you are not active, you may think you are hungry as the result of an overproduction of ghrelin, the hunger hormone. If you have too much of that hormone in your body, then you will become hungry. That is a sure way to get the pounds to pile on as well. Moving more will decrease the level of ghrelin being produced until you are genuinely hungry.
#11 – Poor Sleep
If you are sleeping poorly at night whether you are struggling to fall asleep or stay asleep, then that means you need to get moving earlier in the day. Being active during the day helps you sleep better at night. And you need a good 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep to keep your body healthy. If you cannot get that many hours of sleep a night, then take a nap during the day to make up for some of that.
#10 – Mood Swings
Are you moodier than usual? One moment you are calmer and the next moment you are irritable and cranky? That is due to the fact that when you exercise, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in your brain benefits from the blood circulation. This area of your brain is what controls responses to stressful situations. When it is in good health, you can respond to stressful situations in a more rational manner and not allow the annoyances that happen daily get to you so much.
#9 – Constipation
Are you having trouble doing #2? Check how often you are exercising. If your body isn’t moving, your digestive system will become sluggish as well. And you don’t want to be backed up for a long time as that can cause other problems as well if you are not going regularly.
#8 – You Struggle Going Up A Flight Of Stairs
Are you winded after going up a flight of stairs? If you have not gotten any exercise for a while, then your heart health is not great. Your heart needs you to keep moving so it stays strong and means you will not be winded after going up a flight of stairs. Failing to exercise in the long run can increase your chances of heart attack and heart failure.
#7 – You Have Been Diagnosed With Pre-Diabetes
A diagnosis of pre-diabetes is not good news to receive by your doctor, but it is not the worst news either as you can reverse it and prevent it from going into full diabetes. You can do that by making sure you are active on a daily basis even for a half-hour. That will help keep your blood sugar normalized and healthy.
#6 – Overly Stressed Out
If you are not exercising daily, you will begin to physically feel the stress that is building up. Exercise may not have an impact on the external stress you face, but it helps you release the tension in your body as a result of stress so you will feel less tense. The stress that you are dealing with increases other complications such as cardiovascular problems, high blood pressure, and diabetes from a build-up of cortisol.
#5 – Stiffness Of The Joints
If you are not moving enough, then your joints will become quite stiff due to the lack of movement. This presents itself as pain in the joints and muscles and tendons around it. Joint stiffness makes it harder for you to move around as it is. But you need to challenge yourself and move more if you have joint stiffness little by little. That will help get things loose again and the pain and stiffness will alleviate.
#4 – Concentration Is A Problem
When you are not exercising, your mind becomes sluggish as well. Exercising daily helps keep your brain strong which means you will be able to feel more alert, focused, and can concentrate better. Your memory will improve as well.
#3 – You Have An Increased Chance Of Heart Disease
You are already aware that the lack of exercise increases your chance of high blood pressure. And high blood pressure leads to cardiovascular ailments. Also, the lack of exercise keeps your heart muscles weak. Therefore, you have a higher chance of ending up with a heart attack or heart failure if you are not moving enough.
#2 – You Are Having A Hard Time Breaking Bad Habits
If you are not exercising, your motivation levels stay down. Therefore, you will have a harder time breaking bad habits whether it is eating too many unhealthy and processed food, drinking, or smoking. Those bad habits overtime will cost your health one way or another.
#1 – You Are Overweight
Lack of exercise can be tied to obesity. You are taking in too many calories and not burning off enough. That will lead to weight gain and obesity increases your chances of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. One way to lose or maintain a good weight is to get active.
Now you see 15 reasons why you will want to make sure you are moving every day. Your health depends on it.
