Sports and physical impact on health

Anything for healthy living

 Role of sports and physical activities in healthy living

The biggest myth that people hold nowadays is that dieting is good for controlling weight and for a healthy lifestyle. 

Result of which people start avoiding physical activity and outdoor sports which is equally important for a healthy lifestyle.

To maintain and achieve a healthy weight, exercise is more important as a healthy diet. It is important to move more, sit less, every day. 

Perks of physical activities:

Physical activities are an important part of the life of children with special needs. These help to promote health and decrease the risk of diseases.

1. Mental health: Physical activities are beneficial for both the child's body as well as their mind. These help to improve mood and general wellness of the child. 

2. Provide coping strategies: Physical activities help to provide an outlet for their physical energy, which helps them cope with stress, anxiety and depression. 

3. Improvement in social skills: Physical activities provide an opportunity for more social interaction. 

4. Physical benefits: Children with special needs often have difficulty with motor skills such as jumping, running etc. These also improve exercise endurance,  cardiovascular efficiency and possibly increase life expectancy.

5. Improvement in quality of life: By playing games and doing physical activities, children get to experience a sense of accomplishment and possibly the taste at winning or personal satisfaction. 

6. Decrease risk of health complications: It decreases the risk of secondary health complications such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.  

7. Boost self-esteem: It brings about positive changes in their health, improves the quality of life and is a great boost for the self-esteem in children with special needs. 

8. Increase sleep and appetite: Involvement in physical activities increases the appetite of the child and also helps in improving the quality of sleep. 

9. Improvement in emotional health: It helps to improve the psychological and emotional wellbeing of the child with special needs.

10. Cognitive benefits: It helps the child to learn about his/her strengths and weaknesses. 

Being physically active every day is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and preschoolers. 

For this age group activity of any intensity should be encouraged, including light activity and more energetic physical activity. 

Activities could include tummy time, reaching and grasping, pushing and pulling, and crawling.

MENSTRUAL CYCLE AND SPORTS ROLE:

Participation in sports keeps a person young and fit. While the years of adolescence to young adulthood maybe when bodies are at the peak of physical fitness, for women. 

During the menstrual cycle, women can experience physical symptoms such as joint and muscle pain, headaches, weight gain and low energy levels. In addition to this, some other major issues are insomnia, irritability and appetite changes.

But some studies indicate that sports participation is beneficial in relieving pain and preventing painful menstruation. 

So, we can conclude that menstruation is not a barrier in the way of achieving top sports performance.

EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON BODY PARTS:

1. ON RESPIRATORY SYSTEM 

The cardio-Respiratory system is essential for efficient pumping of blood and oxygen supply to all parts of the body.

                             

(a) Increase in heart rate: One of the short-term effects of exercise is an increase in heart

rate. From an average heart rate of 72 beats/minute, it can increase up to 220 beats/minute.

(b) Increase in heart size: With regular exercise, the heart increases in size and volume. The walls of the ventricles will get bigger and therefore be able to make a more powerful contraction.

(c) Improved blood circulation: Exercise increases the amount of blood required by the muscles led to the formation of new capillaries.

2. ON MUSCULAR SYSTEM

Muscle can be defined as a specialized tissue which enables the body and its part to move and give shape to the body.

(a) Increase in muscle strength: Regular exercise leads to an increase in muscle strength. The ability of our body to take resistance also increases. 

(b) Prevention from disease: Continuous exercise improves our blood circulation. Our muscles become strong and we become fit. 

(c) Improvement in flexibility: Individuals who exercise regularly have better flexibility and agility as compared to those who do not exercise.

OTHER BENEFITS OF SPORTS AND EXERCISE:

• Improves muscle strength
• Improves bone health
• Enhances flexibility
• helps to maintain a healthy weight
• Improves cardiac performance 
• Increases stamina and endurance 
• Improves metabolism
• Enhances immunity 
• Improves sleep pattern
• Reduce stress
• Lowers anxiety
• Reduces depression
• Improves self-confidence
• Sharpens memory
• Improves self-confidence