As we all know, exercise is an excellent way of losing weight. It allows the body to get rid of fat that has built up and tones you up. However, there are so many more ways that exercise can improve your well-being and health, both physically and mentally.

5 Ways Exercise Can Improve Your Well-Being

If you can add a daily exercise regime to your lifestyle, you will reap so many rewards, and you will also be able to fit into those skinny jeans. Here are some ways exercise can improve your well-being:

It gives the immune system a boost and increases your lifespan

If you are a little bit sickly and you are always coming down with the current cold in circulation, you should add some exercise into your daily life. Exercise is like a medicine that supercharges the body's ability to fight off infections and illnesses. It also helps the body get rid of harmful bacteria that can lead to disease. More than that, though, a daily exercise regime will help you live longer and live longer in a healthy condition.

My grandmother used to walk anywhere from 1 mile to 3-4 miles a day. Even when she was in her late 80's, she walked every day. If she couldn't walk outside, she would drive to the mall and walk in the early morning before any of the stores or shops opened.

It increases happiness 

If you are feeling a little bit down in the dumps, or are developing depressive tendencies, you need to start exercising. Getting the body pumping will allow endorphins to flow and increase happiness. It will also increase serotonin and norepinephrine, which are chemicals that make you happy. Exercise actually combats depression. It also allows the body to work off stress hormones such as cortisol, so it relaxes you and makes you less anxious.

Any exercise that includes prearranged, deliberate and repetitive activity, grassroots and competitive sports and regular physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking, cycling or sports that will significantly improve your well-being over time.

One of my favorite exercises to do is Yoga. It's relaxing, works out a lot of your muscles and tendons and can strengthen your core also. With yoga, you not only practice mind control and body control, but you practice your breathing and patience.

It can reduce the chance of developing cancer

Exercise has the power to reduce your chances of developing at least 13 cancers. Exercising boosts the immune system and can stop the build-up of free radicals, insulins, toxins, and bacteria, all of which can mean that the body starts producing tumors.

Increases brain functioning

Anything that can help protect the brain has got to be worth your while trying. As we age, one of the worries we have is cognitive decline, as well as developing things such as Alzheimers and dementia. These things make you vulnerable in so many ways, not to mention being very scary and debilitating.

In some studies, exercise has been found to reduce your chance of getting Alzheimer's by up to 50%. It also improves how the brain functions, and it improves the brain's structure. It does this by encouraging protective proteins and chemicals into the brain.

It can help you sleep

There are many exercises you can do to help you sleep. It doesn't have to be vigorous exercise. Exercise can help you by not only improving the amount of sleep that you actually get but it encourages the body to sleep deeper and therefore sleep better. In this deep sleep mode, your body repairs itself and records memories. Anything from jogging to intimate yoga poses can be used as a way to help you sleep.

As long as you are doing something that reduces stress hormones and allows for the release of endorphins, you will sleep better and deeper while working to improve your well-being overall.