Heart Research Australia recommends that the average Australian aged between 18-64 years should be doing 150 minutes of moderate intense physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week.
Cardio based workouts aren’t done solely for the benefit of burning calories and weight loss. There are a number of health benefits that you can reap from regular cardio exercise.
Improves cardiovascular health-
Just like performing a squat will strengthen your glutes and quads, cardio will strengthen your heart, reducing your risk of heart disease. Regular cardio leads to a decrease in your blood pressure and resting heart rate, which in turn means your heart isn’t working in over drive all of the time, as blood is being pumped more efficiently through the body.
Improves brain function-
Regular exercise increases blood flow to the brain, enabling brain cells to become more responsive and strengthens connections between different parts of the brain. This improves brain performance and its ability to protect from disease. According to Dementia Australia those that participate in regular high intensity exercise have improved cognitive abilities, improved brain health and a reduced risk of developing dementia.
Improves bone health-
According to Musculoskeletal Australia people who exercise regularly have stronger bones and in turn a higher bone density. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a chronic disease where your bones become fragile and are more likely to break as you age.
Improves mental health–
Exercise enables your brain to release chemicals such as endorphins and serotonin which improves your mood.
Improves sleep-
A high intensity cardio session could be the answer you are after when it comes to a good nights sleep.
Increases energy-
Performing regular cardio based exercise improves cardiovascular health, as mentioned above. As your get fitter, day to day activities such as walking, climbing stairs, mowing the lawn etc. will become easier and use less energy. You will also be able to undertake cardio based exercise for longer periods of time.