The human body needs exercise 

The human body is a fantastic creation that hasn’t significantly changed since the Stone Age. Your body still has the same need for movement and activity, even though today’s society is different to that of our ancestors; they were hunter-gatherers who were forced to keep moving for most of their waking hours in order to find food. Our instinct became to strive for rest. Nowadays, in the Western world, we are no longer forced to keep moving. We have aids for almost everything: lifts and escalators carry us forwards, as do cars and mopeds and, in principle, because so many jobs are sedentary we can get through an entire working day without doing any physical activity worth mentioning. We can now rest far too much and many things are based on making our lives even more comfortable. Remote controls, e-mail, cordless phones and ride-on lawnmowers can easily become hindrances to natural activity. We must actively search for movement and activity.  

 

At the same time as we are becoming all the more sedentary we are becoming all the more stressed, our bodies become wound up and we find it difficult to relax. Many people feel that they need more rest, despite using their bodies less than ever. In order to deal with this problematic situation you have to start using your body for what it is designed for – movement. Increased physical activity tires your body out in a healthy way, making it easier to wind down in the evening and improving the quality of your sleep. In the morning your body will be rested and your mind alert; alongside this you should also find strategies for dealing with the stresses of everyday life.  

 

It would be wonderful if our bodies were equipped with some form of warning signal that was activated by too little exercise, bad food, a lot of alcohol, tobacco or drugs – but unfortunately they aren’t. In other words, we aren’t able to wait for our bodies to start protesting before we change our lifestyle; the fact is that it could be too late. You have to change your habits sooner rather than later.  

 

The most fantastic thing about the human body is its ability to heal and repair itself, despite conditions that aren’t the best possible. So why don’t you pay your body at least as much attention as you give to your car, or your computer? After all, if your body stops working the time you spent on your technical gadgets won’t matter one bit.  

Physical activity important for good health 

We now know that physical activity is one of the most important factors for good health. Regular exercise can help you stay in good shape, with all its associated positive effects, even in old age. Remember that it’s never too late to start exercising and that all your activity counts – today and all the days thereafter.