Exercise
From WikiDemocracy
The best exercise for your age | CNN
The effect of exercise on health is profound. It can protect you from a range of conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. But the type and amount of exercise you should do changes as you age.
The health benefits of the great outdoors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of greenspace exposure and health outcomes
by Caoimhe Twohig-Bennett 10/18 ScienceDirect
Greenspace exposure is associated with numerous health benefits in intervention and observational studies. These results are indicative of a beneficial influence of greenspace on a wide range of health outcomes. However several meta-analyses results are limited by poor study quality and high levels of heterogeneity.
Eliciting older people's preferences for exercise programs: a best-worst scaling choice experiment
by Marcia R Franco 1/15 ScienceDirect
Falls and mobility-related disability among older people can lead to substantial healthcare costs, morbidity and mortality.1 These important public health concerns are likely to worsen in the near future, as the number of people aged over 65 years is expected to triple in the next 30 years.2 Evidence shows that appropriately designed exercise programs are effective in the prevention of falls and mobility-related disability amongst community-dwelling older people.
Physical Exercise for Healthy Older Adults and Those with Frailty: What Exercise Is Best and Is There a Difference? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses
by Samaher Alowaydhah 5/7/24 WILEY Online Library
Background and Purpose. Physical exercise (PE) is a well-recognized means of ameliorating the burden of morbidity that is associated with aging. However, the specific components of exercise programs, and health outcomes that are of benefit, are less consistently agreed upon. Further, it is not evident if those who are not considered to be healthy benefit from the same exercise as those who are.
The Best Time of Day to Exercise for Metabolic Health
by Gretchen Reynolds 26/5/21 NIH
Late-day exercise had unique benefits for cholesterol levels and blood sugar control, a study of overweight men eating a high-fat diet found.
Educating the Student Body: Taking Physical Activity and Physical Education to School.
by National Library of Medicine
Physical Activity and Physical Education: Relationship to Growth, Development, and Health
The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise on autoimmune diseases: A 20-year systematic review
by Beibei Luo 5/24 ScienceDirect
Autoimmune diseases are conditions characterized by immune dysregulation leading to tissue damage in the host. Autoimmune disease rates are increasing rapidly in many parts of the world due to environmental and lifestyle factors.1 Most autoimmune diseases require lifelong treatment and significantly impact affected individuals and their families, society, and healthcare costs.
Low back pain: Learn More – Why movement is so important for back pain
by National Library of Medicine 14/2/19
Not moving enough can weaken your core muscles, make the pain worse, and also lead to other health problems. Because of this, people who have back pain are often advised to get "more exercise" and "stay active." There are good reasons for this advice: For a start, regular physical exercise has been shown to reduce pain. What's more, it's a good idea to go about your daily life as normally as possible, and not to let the pain limit your activities too much. Isolating yourself or no longer doing things you enjoy will make it even harder to cope with back pain.
Exercise and mental health
Kathleen Mikkelsen 12/17 ScienceDirect
There is a growing body of literature that recognizes the positive effects of exercise on mood states such as anxiety, stress and depression, through physiological and biochemical mechanisms, including endorphins, mitochondria, mammalian target of rapamycin, neurotransmitters and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and via the thermogenic hypothesis.
Exercise and healthy eating behavior together provide the best protection against cardiovascular diseases
by University of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto 10/3/25 ScienceDaily
Researchers have found that women who exhibit disturbed eating behaviors and engage in low physical activity tend to have more central body fat and a higher risk of metabolic low-grade inflammation. This condition increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which become more prevalent after menopause. However, the combined effect of exercise and healthy eating behavior offers the most effective protection against inflammation and may also reduce it after menopause.
Exercise for peri- and postmenopausal women: Recommendations from synergistic alliances of women's medicine and health psychology for the promotion of an active lifestyle
by Débora Godoy-Izquierdo 7/24 ScienceDirect
Adopting healthy behaviors is a multifaceted and complex process that poses significant challenges for individuals. Despite awareness of the detrimental effects of certain behaviors on health, many individuals continue to engage in risky practices. Traditional medical advice and prescriptions, while well intentioned, often fall short in fostering lasting lifestyle changes.
What is the best exercise to improve sleep?
by Kamal Nahas 5/8/25 ScienceNews
High-intensity yoga for less than 30 minutes, twice a week, may be the best workout routine for catching high-quality shut-eye, a new study shows. But before people jump on the yoga trend, researchers say more experiments are needed to confirm the study’s findings.
Exercise time of day and blood pressure: Considering chronotype for precision health
by Steven K. Malin 27/6/24 nature
The health benefits of exercise among people at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) are well accepted. However, many health professionals and researchers debate the optimal exercise “dose” (e.g. intensity, modality, and/or duration) for improving cardiometabolic health [1, 2]. In recent years, the best time of day to exercise has become a popular and open question, as research has primarily focused on morning versus afternoon timeframes.
Journal of Sport and Health Science
Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Shanghai University of Sport; peer review under the responsibility of Shanghai University of Sport
The Journal of Sport and Health Science (JSHS) is a peer-reviewed, international, multidisciplinary scientific journal dedicated to the advancement
Exercising is good for the brain but exercising outside is potentially better
by Katherine Boere 20/1/23 scientific reports
It is well known that exercise increases cognitive function. However, the environment in which the exercise is performed may be just as important as the exercise itself. Time spent in natural outdoor environments has been found to lead to increases in cognition similar to those resulting from acute exercise.
Exercise and Fitness Effect on Obesity
by Grace M. Niemiro; Ayesan Rewane; Amit M. Algotar. 17/11/23 National Library of Medicine
Obesity represents a significant public health concern, with one-third of adults classified as living with obesity in the United States. Obesity correlates with cardiometabolic comorbidities that can decrease the quality of life.[1][2] Researchers have proposed that exercise is an important lifestyle measure to maintain a healthy weight. This review will cover the role of exercise in obesity and fitness.
Per-protocol investigation of a best practice exercise referral scheme
by L. Stewart 9/17 ScienceDirect
To investigate the effects of an exercise referral scheme (ERS) aligned to the UK best practice guidelines on a range of outcomes including those associated with key health concerns of the Scottish population.
Aquatic exercise and mental health: A scoping review
by Morgan Jackson 6/22 ScienceDirect
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines global health as "a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being", and emphasises that mental health, in particular, is vital to our ability as individuals to think, emote and interact with one another59. There is a deep-rooted history of mental illness in society, with references to mental health disorders documented as early as 6500 BCE.
Progressive exercise compared with best-practice advice, with or without corticosteroid injection, for rotator cuff disorders: the GRASP factorial RCT.
This chapter presents the cost-effectiveness analysis of the GRASP trial. This analysis took an NHS and PSS perspective and tested (using a 2 × 2 factorial design) four physiotherapy-led interventions: (1) progressive exercise, (2) best-practice advice, (3) progressive exercise preceded by a corticosteroid injection and (4) best-practice advice preceded by a corticosteroid injection. Health-care resource utilisation data and utility data were collected alongside clinical data over the 12-month trial period; these were used to conduct a cost–utility analysis, calculating the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained, as the main aim of treatment is to improve patients’ quality of life.
Exercise in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome: A position statement from Exercise and Sports Science Australia
Angelo Sabag 10/24 ScienceDirect
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most prevalent endocrine condition amongst females of reproductive age, leading to lifelong cardiometabolic, reproductive, psychological, and dermatologic symptoms as well as a reduced quality of life.
Osteoarthritis of the knee: Learn More – What can you do to strengthen your knees?
by National Library of Medicine 15/5/24
Strength and mobility exercises are among the most important things people with osteoarthritis can do for their knees. These exercises can relieve pain, strengthen the joints, and improve joint function. There’s no need to worry about damaging your joints if you do the right kind of exercises.
Hearts Get 'Younger,' Even At Middle Age, With Exercise
People who exercise have healthier belly fat, new study finds
There are lots of good reasons to exercise that have nothing to do with weight loss. Now, science has found yet another one: It turns out that a regular exercise habit can make your fat tissue healthier. And that, in turn, keeps you healthier.
There's a way to get healthier without even going to a gym. It's called NEAT
What's clear is that many of us who live screen-based lives have the capacity to inject more NEAT into our daily rhythms, not necessarily through seismic changes in our lifestyle, but small-scale ones that mostly just require a shift in mindset.
‘Exercise snacks’ — even a few minutes a day — can boost your health
by Melanie Radzicki 18/3/25 CNN
“Exercise snacks” are short bursts of activity — 30 seconds to five or 10 minutes max — that encompass almost any type of movement. Think climbing stairs, walking, doing squats or dancing. The term is thought to have been first used in 2007 by cardiologist Dr. Howard Hartley, who was then associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Today, numerous studies prove the value of these mini workouts.
How Much Exercise Do You Need for Better Heart Health?
by Gretchen Reynolds 28/12/21 The New York Times
The large-scale study, which relied on objective data about exercise from more than 90,000 adults, bolsters the growing evidence that almost any amount of physical activity seems to be good for cardiovascular health, with no apparent upper limit to the benefits.
Even A Little Exercise Can Help Your Heart
We all know that exercise is good for us, but sometimes it can seem too hard to even detach from the couch.
How exercise may be the ‘most potent medical intervention ever known’
by William Brangham 1/1/25 PBS NEWS
It's been well known for many decades that exercise provides many benefits to our health. But a new scientific consortium is revealing new insights into just how profound exercise can be for the human body. William Brangham discussed more with Euan Ashley, a professor of cardiovascular medicine and genetics at Stanford University and the newly named chair of its department of medicine.
Your muscles keep time too. How circadian rhythms affect your workout and your health
For years, I was an inveterate early morning exerciser — the kind of person you'd spot trudging into the gym just after the doors were unlocked or running through the neighborhood when the coffee shops were still silent.
How to exercise safely in the heat
by Suzette Lohmeyer 11/8/23 npr
Treadmill fatigue is real. That's why when the weather warms up many indoor exercisers are outside faster than you can say manual or hills program.
You can't outrun a bad diet. Food — not lack of exercise — fuels obesity, study finds
Back in the 1800s, obesity was almost nonexistent in the United States. Over the last century, it's become common here and in other industrialized nations, though it remains rare among people who live more traditional lifestyles, such as the Hadza hunter-gatherers of Tanzania.
Exercise Wins: Fit Seniors Can Have Hearts That Look 30 Years Younger
by Patti Neighmond 10/12/18 npr
We know we need to exercise for our health, but a lifelong exercise habit may also help us feel younger and stay stronger well into our senior years. In fact, people in their 70s who have been exercising regularly for decades seem to have put a brake on the aging process, maintaining the heart, lung and muscle fitness of healthy people at least 30 years younger.
Look to exercise to extend life, even for the oldest, study says
by Sandee LaMotte 17/10/22 CNN
Physical activity guidelines for older adults stress doing at least two days of strength training and 2½ hours of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity each week. Yet many people downplay muscle strengthening, relying on the heart-pumping benefits of aerobic exercise.
Here’s how exercise alters our brain chemistry – and could prevent dementia
by Emma Charlton 26/1/22 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Exercise helps protect your brain against ageing, according to a new study that adds to the multiple reasons to stay active.
The surprising part of your body that's keeping your brain healthy
by Rachael Bishop 27/6/18 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Groundbreaking research shows that neurological health depends as much on signals sent by the body’s large, leg muscles to the brain as it does on directives from the brain to the muscles. Published in Frontiers in Neuroscience, the study fundamentally alters brain and nervous system medicine — giving doctors new clues as to why patients with motor neuron disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy and other neurological diseases often rapidly decline when their movement becomes limited.
Exercise 'keeps the mind sharp' in over-50s, study finds
Doing moderate exercise several times a week is the best way to keep the mind sharp if you're over 50, research suggests.
The Health Benefits Of Dancing Go Beyond Exercise And Stress Reducer
by Shankar Vedantam 3/5/16 nrp
What are the health implications of dancing? New social science research shows that dancing in synchrony with others increases people's threshold for dealing with pain.
How Revving Up Your Heart Rate, Even A Bit, Pays Off
Reaching your target heart rate — which is calculated based on your age, gender and resting heart rate — allows you to burn off calories without putting yourself at risk of an injury. And raising your heart rate isn't as hard as you might think.
Six seconds of exercise 'can transform health'
by James Gallagher 27/7/14 BBC
A pilot study involving 12 pensioners showed going all-out in very short bursts, reduced blood pressure and improved general fitness over time.
Early research suggests why exercise is so protective against brain disease
by Madeline Holcombe 27/2/25 CNN
Upping your physical activity level may lower your risk of developing neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety, depression and dementia, according to new preliminary research.
Not exercising worse for your health than smoking, diabetes and heart disease, study reveals
“Being unfit on a treadmill or in an exercise stress test has a worse prognosis, as far as death, than being hypertensive, being diabetic or being a current smoker,” Jaber told CNN. “We’ve never seen something as pronounced as this and as objective as this.”
An Enzyme That Increases With Exercise Can Improve Memory In Mice, And Maybe People
Scientists say they've identified an enzyme that could help explain how exercise can slow or even reverse some signs of aging in the brain. "Exercise in a bottle" isn't around the corner, but it's not out of the question either.
I read more than 50 scientific studies about yoga. Here’s what I learned.
Running vs. Walking: Which Is Better for Lasting Health?
by Cindy Kumza 14/11/23 The New York Times
Walking is among the world’s most popular forms of exercise, and far and away the most favored in the United States. And for good reason: It’s simple, accessible and effective. Taking regular walks lowers the risk of many health problems including anxiety, depression, diabetes and some cancers.
Exercising Even A Little Bit Makes It Easier For Smokers To Quit
Smoking is bad. Quitting smoking is hard. But exercising can make quitting easier, and make sliding back into smoking less likely.
Exercise may help you store fat better, new research suggests
by Madeline Holcombe 10/9/24 CNN
“Living a physically active lifestyle, exercising regularly over time, makes our fat tissue a more accommodating place for extra energy under conditions when we do gain weight,” said senior study author Dr. Jeffrey Horowitz, professor of movement studies in the school of kinesiology at the University of Michigan.
You can still get health benefits, even if you don't have a lot of time to exercise
Good morning. I'm Leila Fadel. Ever heard of those productivity challenges - how you can get things done in 10-minute increments? Well, the British Journal of Sports Medicine says if we can just squeeze in 11 minutes of moderate exercise every day to get the heart pumping, we'd cut our health risks by almost a quarter. Now, excuse us while we race up to the seventh floor of NPR headquarters real quick.
You can live up to 10 years longer by doing these 5 things
by Charlotte Edmond 12/2/20 WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
Do you eat your greens? Get daily exercise? Limit how much alcohol you drink? There are five healthy habits that can help you live up to a decade longer, cutting the risk of cancer, heart problems and diabetes, researchers have found.
Yoga, Pilates, tai chi, qigong — what’s best for me?
by Melanie Radzicki 28/10/22 CNN
Mindfulness and mind-body practices are hot topics today, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic brought with it increased levels of stress and anxiety. In the US, some of the most popular mind-body exercises are yoga, Pilates, qigong and tai chi. These four are all therapies that integrate movement, breathing exercises and meditation to enhance your physical and mental health, self-awareness and spiritual growth.
To Treat Pain, PTSD And Other Ills, Some Vets Try Tai Chi
Every week in Murfreesboro, Tenn., Zibin Guo guides veterans in wheelchairs through slow-motion tai chi poses as a Bluetooth speaker plays soothing instrumental music.
Tai chi, yoga and meditation may help lower high blood pressure ‘in short term’
by Jane Kirby 8/4/25 INDEPENDENT
Relaxation techniques may help lower high blood pressure – at least in the short term, research suggests.
Exercise on the Road: Tai Chi, Yoga and Jiu-Jitsu for Business Travel
by JAHAN MARCU 1/11/24 RollingStone
Traveling for work often presents an endless array of distractions from reaching fitness goals — tight schedules, jet lag, unfamiliar environments. Yet, for those who are committed to staying active, maintaining a workout routine while on the road is not only possible, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Tai chi, yoga and martial arts like jiu-jitsu provide structured ways to keep both mind and body in shape, no matter where your business travels take you.
The growth of yoga and meditation in the US since 2012 is remarkable
Study Finds Yoga Can Help Back Pain, But Keep It Gentle, With These Poses
New research finds that a yoga class designed specifically for back pain can be as safe and effective as physical therapy in easing pain.
Online yoga classes prove helpful for back pain in new study
Online yoga classes relieved chronic low back pain and slashed the need for pain-relief medications, a new study shows.
Have we reached peak yoga in the U.S.? The CDC wants to know
In the U.S., about 1 out of 6 adults say they practice yoga, according to new survey data published Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
New study reveals the exercises that can help with insomnia
by Storm Newton 17/7/25 INDEPENDENT
Yoga, tai chi, jogging, and even a simple walk could be the most effective forms of exercise to combat the sleep disorder, insomnia, a new study suggests.
For stress reduction, just say ommm
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Managing the service department of an Atlanta, Georgia, car dealership is a stressful job, according to Debbie Peek.
Fibromyalgia? Try tai chi
Tai chi -- a slow, meditative martial art -- may be an effective alternative, a new study suggests.
A comprehensive guide to the new science of treating lower back pain
Got Back Pain? Try Yoga Or Massage Before Reaching For The Pills
by Patti Neighmond 20/2/17 npr
Most of us suffer back pain at some point in our lives. In fact, it's one of the most common reasons people go to the doctor. Many of us also probably reach for medication. Now, new guidelines from the American College of Physicians say try exercise, yoga, or massage first.
'Few complementary therapies help arthritis'
by Michelle Roberts 9/1/13 BBC
Few complementary therapies appear to help musculoskeletal conditions like arthritis, say experts who have looked at the available trial evidence.
More U.S. children doing yoga, taking sleep supplements
by Ronnie Cohen 26/2/15 Reuters
(Reuters Health) – - A growing number of American children are bending into downward dog and other yoga poses, according to a new report on complementary health practices.
The report analyzed National Health Interview Survey data on practices outside of mainstream medicine and found significantly more kids and teens practicing yoga, tai chi and qi gong in 2012 than in 2007.
Tai chi reduces blood pressure better than aerobic exercise, study finds
Tai chi, a traditional, slow-moving form of Chinese martial art, is known to increase flexibility and improve balance. Now, new research suggests it's better than more vigorous aerobic exercises for lowering blood pressure in people with prehypertension.
Tai chi fights stress, getting popular with Millennials
Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall, Patrick York is a gentle giant.
The soft-spoken 26-year-old with a “Peace Love Tai Chi” T-shirt flowed into a grounded stance on a Long Beach, California, hilltop. He was among several dozen people taking a free tai chi class this warm July day.
“I do tai chi to reconnect my mind, body and spirit, as well as to strengthen my muscles, loosen my joints, get my body relaxed,” York said.
A Tai Chi sweep? China bids for UNESCO cultural heritage status.
by Michael Holtz 31/3/17 The CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
The clamoring of a jackhammer and shrill barks of two golden retrievers make a jarring soundtrack for Yan Ziteng’s afternoon tai chi class, but neither he nor his students seem to notice.
Tai chi helps boost memory, study finds. One type seems most beneficial
Amid our busy lives, distraction or fatigue may explain our forgetfulness. But instances of "brain freeze" make me realize I want to do everything in my power to keep my brain sharp.
Fortunately for those in midlife, Levine is finding that even if you haven't been an avid exerciser, getting in shape now may head off that decline and help restore your aging heart. He and his colleagues published their recent findings in the American Heart Association's journal, Circulation.
