1. EXERCISE CAN IMPROVE YOUR EYESIGHT
No, you’re not going blind, exercise will actually improve long term eye-sight. Several studies have found relationships between exercise and the incidence of cataracts (the leading cause of blindness worldwide). The precise reason is currently unknown; however, scientists think it might be because of the reduction in free-radicals (particles that can cause damage to DNA, proteins and other parts of the body) caused by all types of regular exercise.
2. EXERCISE CAN MAKE YOU SMARTER
Studying for an exam? Struggling to remember things? Then maybe exercise is the cure for you. Studies have shown that exercise improves several aspects of cognitive function, including improvements in memory, academic achievement (especially in children), attention span and executive function (the ability to think differently about situations and regulating emotions). There are several reasons for this, including increased blood flow to the brain and decreases in overall stress levels, but one really cool reason is because exercise actually changes the physical makeup of the brain; aerobic exercise can increase the amount of gray matter (parts of the brain that have all the nerve endings in), which increases the amount of processing power the brain is capable of.
3. EXERCISE CAN REGENERATE HEART CELLS
As mentioned above, it is well established that exercise can reduce the risk of having heart attacks, but what if you have already had one? When we have a heart attack, part of the heart muscle essentially dies, but emerging research suggests that regular aerobic exercise can actually regenerate heart cells; reversing the damage caused by heart attack. The amount of regeneration that takes place wouldn’t completely regenerate a heart but will massively reduce the risk of further attacks. This is because exercise has been shown to increase amounts of protective proteins in the heart, increases blood flow to the regions lining the heart, and decreases the incidences of apoptosis (heart cell death).
