During aerobic activity, you engage large muscles in your arms, legs, and hips in continuous movement, and your body responds rapidly. You’ll breathe faster and deeper, maximising the oxygen in your blood. Your heart beats faster, boosting blood flow to your muscles and lungs. Small blood vessels widen to deliver more oxygen to muscles and remove waste products like carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Additionally, your body releases endorphins, natural painkillers that enhance your sense of well-being.
Exercise and their impact on insulin sensitivity
Cardio workouts have a significant impact on insulin sensitivity, making them a powerful tool for managing blood sugar levels. During cardiovascular exercises, your muscle uses glucose for energy, which helps lower blood sugar levels. This activity stimulates the cells to become more responsive to insulin.
Regular cardio workouts increase the efficiency of this process, leading to improved insulin sensitivity. This means that your body requires less insulin to manage blood sugar levels effectively. Enhanced insulin sensitivity reduces the risk of insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes, and supports overall metabolic health. Even a single session of moderate-intensity cardio can boost insulin sensitivity for up to 24 hours, highlighting the immediate and lasting benefits of regular aerobic exercise.
Benefits of Cardio Training
- Strengthen your heart rate
Functional mobility training strengthens muscles around the joints, enhancing stability and reducing the risk of sprains, strains, and other joint injuries. It also corrects muscle imbalances, lowers the likelihood of overuse injuries, and improves proprioception and balance, decreasing the risk of falls and accidents. - Improve your digestion
Cardio exercise offers many benefits, such as enhancing peristalsis by strengthening digestive muscles. However, avoid high-intensity exercise right after eating to prevent cramping or lightheadedness. It also helps regulate blood sugar, reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome. - Lower your blood sugar
Regular physical activity helps regulate insulin levels and lower blood sugar, all while keeping body weight in check. In a study on people with type 2 diabetes, researchers found that any form of movement, either aerobic or anaerobic, may have these effects. - Aid your weight loss
Diet and exercise are key to weight loss, but aerobic exercise alone can be powerful. A study found that overweight participants who burned 400-600 calories in exercise sessions, five times a week for ten months, lost 4.3-5.7% of their starting weight. Most participants walked or jogged on treadmills, but brisk walks or jogging during lunch breaks or before dinner can also be effective. - Improve your quality of sleep
After a long day, struggling to fall asleep is frustrating. The good news is that cardio helps you fall asleep faster and promotes REM sleep. However, doctors caution against rigorous exercise close to bedtime, as it can leave you too energised to sleep due to increased adrenaline.
Start your fitness journey with us! Book your In-Depth MOVE Assessment for personalized measurements and a custom training plan. This month, explore strength training, cardio, and classes like FUNCTION, DEFINE, STEM, FORM, ENDURE, and META. Need extra support? Try our Personal Training package.
References:
- Motahari-Tabari, N., Ahmad Shirvani, M., Shirzad-E-Ahoodashty, M., Yousefi-Abdolmaleki, E., & Teimourzadeh, M. (2014, August 14). The effect of 8 weeks aerobic exercise on insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes: A randomized clinical trial. Global journal of health science. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4796439/
- Cleveland Clinic. (2024a, June 28). Cardio exercises benefit more than just your heart. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-many-benefits-of-a-cardio-workout
- Marcin, A. (2020, February 25). 13 benefits of aerobic exercise. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise#benefits
- Nystoriak, M. A., & Bhatnagar, A. (2018, September 28). Cardiovascular effects and benefits of exercise. Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6172294/
