If we are overweight and fatigued, if we feel tired and stressed, we probably need to have a balanced diet and regular physical activity. These two aspects are certainly an excellent starting point to find the right balance and the well-being of our body. Many people believe, however, that going to the gym and lifting weights is the only way to keep fit and relieve the fatigue of the past day.
Other lighter activities also have undisputed health benefits. We have seen how and how much walking to remove the Alzehimer and improve memory after 60, for example, and the extraordinary benefits of walking backwards. Everyone can therefore preserve physical and mental health by walking, but also with this exercise to be practiced even at home. What are we talking about?
The benefits of moderate and constant exercise
According to fitness experts, the secret to a healthy and strong body is naturally exercise. The latter does not necessarily have to be intense. Even moderate exercise can have enormous benefits on our body and mind. Walking, as we have seen, is one of these, but also climbing and descending stairs.
Going up and down stairs is a very effective exercise for increasing body strength, building muscle and strengthening balance. This activity helps you burn more calories and tone your muscles. But there are other benefits.
Everyone can preserve physical and mental health with this exercise that can also be practiced at home
Researchers from McMaster University, Canada, (Dunford EC et al, 2021) found that climbing and descending stairs provides significant cardiovascular benefits. Walking up and down stairs, at both a brisk and moderate pace, has been shown to be a safe, effective and feasible option for cardiac rehabilitation.
The subjects involved in the study, who had undergone cardiac operations, performed an exercise protocol (3 turns of 6 flights of 12 stairs), without specialized equipment or monitoring, freely deciding their pace. The researchers compared subjects who had performed traditional exercises with those who had climbed the stairs. Both had increased their cardiorespiratory fitness after four weeks of training. In addition, they had reported substantial muscle improvement.
How to preserve mental health too
Daily activities, such as walking up and down stairs, can significantly improve our mental health. Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Central Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) in Germany have studied the brain regions that play a central role in this process. The authors wrote, in an article published in the journal Science Advances, that walking up and down stairs every day can help us feel awake and full of energy. This is above all in light of the restrictions due to the pandemic that forced them to organize themselves with home workouts.
Deepening
The secret to being happy and having an active brain is simply this healthy habit
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