The top 5 ways exercise is the best defence against Coronavirus.

02 Apr The top 5 ways exercise is the best defence against Coronavirus.

By now you know the drill when it comes to Coronavirus – wash your hands thoroughly, cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, clean surfaces thoroughly and self-isolate as much as you can.

However one thing you should be doing in the fight against this virus is to start or continue to exercise. This is one of the few reasons you are allowed to leave your home. Being active is now more important than ever. Read on about the five reasons exercise is the best defence against Coronavirus or any other virus.

1. Supports your immune system

Basically, exercise increases blood flow and mobilises white blood cells, one of the main defences against harmful microbes. At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week is recommended, but anything is better than nothing. One study found that just 30 minutes of brisk walking increased the circulation of natural killer cells and other immune system warriors in the blood.

2. Reduces the risk of chronic illness

The American College of Sports Medicine’s “Exercise Is Medicine” project has documented the myriad health benefits of exercise, including lowering the incidence of various cancers, reducing the risk of excessive weight gain (with its associated health problems, including diabetes) and improved cardiovascular health (including lower risk of hypertension and stroke). All of these contributed to an overall lower risk of all causes of mortality in people who exercise.

3. Improves your mental health

Stress hormones compromise immune function but exercise is fantastic at combatting stress. Numerous studies have shown that regular physical activity is associated with better mental health, including a reduced risk or incidence of dementia, reduced feelings of anxiety and depression, improved cognitive function, improved quality of life plus improved sleep.

4. A chance to focus just on you

Its seems the media is constantly bombarding us with bad news and catastrophic stories. Added to this you have people behaving like idiots at supermarkets, people hoarding critical items, job losses and self-isolation. It is all to easy for this to totally overwhelm you.

What you need more than ever is some time out from what is going on and to focus just on you. I couldn’t suggest anything better than a training session to clear your mind. Forget what is going on around you, think about what is best for your physically and mentally. Doing exercise is guaranteed to make you feel better than when you started and takes your mind off what is going on in the world.

5. There are lots of options and no excuses!

Even though gyms have closed and you can’t do any outdoor classes or bootcamps, there are so many other choices. You can train outside with a friend where there is plenty of space and is completely safe. Plus training in the great outdoors has some amazing benefits that training in a gym doesn’t. Or train with a personal trainer for some extra motivation and accountability. Or consider some online training where you can train in the comfort of your own home.

So now, more than ever, start exercising or keep your training up. This will help you fight improve your physical and mental health and is one of the best ways to keep your spirits up. This is just what you need when fighting any challenge that comes your way.