4 ‘Spooky’ Things That Can Happen If You Don’t Exercise
Halloween is right around the corner, and we are starting to see signs of “spooky” decorations and costumes all around us. Sure, ghosts and goblins and witches are spooky, but do you know what else is spooky? All the things that can happen if you don’t live an active lifestyle!
A lack of exercise can lead to more severe health issues than weight gain or obesity, though that certainly still is an important concern. Not exercising can lead to physical, mental, and even financial consequences. A life of inactivity can lead to some of these spooky outcomes:
1. Greater Risk of Heart Disease
The CDC states that “Not getting enough physical activity can lead to heart disease—even for people who have no other risk factors. It can also increase the likelihood of developing other heart disease risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.”
2. Greater Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
According to the CDC, not getting enough physical activity can raise a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Physical activity helps control blood sugar (glucose), weight, and blood pressure and helps raise “good” cholesterol and lower “bad” cholesterol.
Proper exercise can also help reduce the risk of heart disease and nerve damage, which are common problems for people with diabetes.
3. Greater Risk of Certain Cancers
While no official studies have proven that lack of exercise causes cancer, many observational studies have shown evidence connecting higher physical activity to lower cancer risk, according to the National Cancer Institute. A 2016 review found that people who engaged in the highest level of physical activity had a 19% lower risk of colon cancer compared to those who exercised the least. Another analysis of breast cancer studies revealed that women who exercised the most had a 12%-21% lower risk of developing breast cancer.
4. You May Become Depressed
While physical inactivity doesn’t necessarily trigger depression, exercise is a well-established treatment for depression and anxiety. However, depression leads to decreased activity of any sort, including the desire to exercise. Prolonged inactivity, even without depressive symptoms, could put you at greater risk for developing symptoms of depression. There are dozens of studies that suggest that physical activity could prevent depression.
5. Potential Increased Financial Costs
These increased health risks are bad enough, but did you know that these health issues can lead to increased financial costs as well? The more diseases or issues you have, the more medical attention and medication you may require, which can come at a steep cost. Take action to prevent this as much as possible by implementing a fitness strategy. If you’re not sure where to start, come and talk to one of our personal trainers who can show you how they would custom-tailor a fitness plan to fit your needs.