Publications
Partners
With many gyms still closed or on limited access to abide by lockdown restrictions, it’s tempting to want to skip our regular workouts, especially on colder weather days. But there are benefits to scheduling time out to focus in on our physical well-being and boost our mental health along with it.
From strengthening your immune system to helping you heal faster, here are five ways that making time to stay fit while staying in will benefit you in the short and long-run.
GIVE YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM A BOOST
It’s no secret that physical exercise helps to boost your immune system. According to Medline, physical exercise may help your body to flush out bacteria and can help strengthen your antibodies or white blood cell count, which helps you to fight off bacteria and disease.
DO IT FOR YOUR HEART
Another plus of physical exercise is cardiovascular benefits. Incorporating short, high-intensity workouts in your workout routine can help to lower blood pressure, increase blood flow circulation throughout your body and can boost your energy levels. The more you start to incorporate cardio workouts into your exercise routine, the more the increased blood flow can also assist in giving you faster post-workout recovery times.
If you are a beginner, it may be best to speak to your doctor or a trainer to see how you should gradually increase your cardio workouts as you progress. Wearing a fitness tracking watch, like the smart HUAWEI GT 2e Smart Watch, can help you keep track of all of your diagnostics – from your resting and active heart rate and keep you on track for your fitness goals from home.
HEAL YOUR WOUNDS FASTER
Regular exercise is said to reduce the level of inflammation, helping wounds to heal faster and the influx of antibodies associated with exercise assists in staving off any possible infectious bacteria from entering your body when you do have a wound.
YOUR JOINTS WILL THANK YOU
Much like the benefits for your heart, physical exercise can also help strengthen your joints, bones and muscles. All the extra sitting time working from home and during the lockdown can end up making our bones and joints weak, regular exercise can help you keep momentum in your bones and strengthen you against the risk of carpal tunnel and arthritis. According to Mayo Clinic, a lack of exercise weakens the muscles around your joints, which can lead to joint pain and issues. Regular exercise can help to strengthen these surrounding muscles and the Mayo Clinic suggests that you consult your doctor and a fitness trainer to set out a regiment that is best suited to you if you are experiencing joint pain. Whether it’s setting out a step goal per day or a set workout routine
per week, it’s important to keep active and track it all on a reliable fitness tracker, like the HUAWEI GT 2e Smart Watch, should you need to report back to your doctor with diagnostics.
A HEALTHY BODY HELPS FOSTER A HEALTHY MIND
Not only is physical exercise chock-full of benefits for your physical well-being, but it also hosts a range of benefits that can improve your mental health. Physical activity can assist in releasing chemicals like endorphins and serotonin that can greatly impact your mood, the improvement of blood circulation and lower risk of blood pressure associated with exercise can also help in how your body reacts to and manages stress. Physical exercise is also known to improve sleep quality which can lead you to feel more rested and ready to face the day with a positive mood.
EXERCISES TO TRY OUT FROM HOME
When it comes to prioritising work and working out from home, the balance can be a hard one to strike. However, it’s vital to take out about 20 or 30 minutes at least three times a week to keep our bodies and minds active and healthy. There are plenty of online workouts to try, from pictorial guides to online videos, and many gyms have been adapting their services accordingly with the lockdown restrictions by offering their members remote workout classes.
Some quick and easy ways to ensure you’re getting physical activity while at home include:
• Walking, jogging, or running around your area for a few kilometres
• Investing in a yoga mat and doing yoga or High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts you can easily find online
• If you need a little push - hiring a personal trainer can help you keep on track with your fitness journey as several personal trainers are offering virtual training sessions that can fit your schedule
THE BENEFITS OF A FITNESS TRACKER FOR WORKOUT MOTIVATION
While the equipment at the gym has programmes on them to track your vitals and offer you entertainment, it can feel dull in comparison when trying to get into a workout zone from home. But, many fitness trackers, like the HUAWEI GT 2e Smart Watch, come kitted out with features that allow you to track all of your diagnostics. It keeps you up to date with specific workouts - from running to even parkour - as well monitors and tracks your resting and active heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels to help beat fatigue and more. These features are a great way to stay motivated by monitoring your improvement and having a friendly reminder to take a break to stretch or get outside.
Aside from the technical benefits of investing in a fitness tracker, many on the market today can entertain and keep you on track of work while working out. The HUAWEI GT 2e Watch, for example, allows you to download up to 500 songs onto the device - letting you curate the ultimate exercise playlist - and it sends cellphone notifications to your watch to keep you on top of your daily schedule.
This post was sponsored by Huawei and produced by BrandStudio24 for Health24.
