SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Exercise is a great way to protect your heart from the number one killer of Americans, heart disease.
By setting aside 30 minutes a day or 150 minutes a week for personal fitness, you should see many benefits.
Memorial Medical Center Registered Nurse Pam Noonan shared a few reasons why exercise is beneficial:
- its easier to cope and manage stress
- better sleep
- boosted brain health
- improved cholesterol
- prevents bone loss
- lowers blood sugar
Noonan, an American Heart Association volunteer, said if you're a beginner, you should do something you enjoy. That could mean starting at the gym, dancing, biking, online videos, or even yard and housework.
"I think sometimes people, they worry about that time constraint. That's where you have to be intentional and make a plan so that you can get your rhythm going with some kind of physical activity," Noonan said. "So, looking at the week ahead, where can you plug it in at your lunch break? In your afternoon break, when you're feeling sluggish. Maybe when your child is practicing their sports. If you can walk while they're doing their sports, or picking a day that's not as hectic."
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