June is Men’s Health Month, a time to raise awareness of preventable health problems like cancer and depression. It also highlights the importance of incorporating regular physical activity into everyday life.
Often, people think of exercise as something grueling and uncomfortable, but even small changes can have big impacts. Men’s martial arts offers a full-body workout that increases endurance, flexibility, and focus.
1. Increased Energy
Exercise burns calories and builds muscle, which increases metabolism and helps with weight loss. It also provides your body with more energy to tackle daily tasks, such as washing the car or cooking dinner. Men who exercise regularly report higher levels of energy than those who are sedentary.
Exercise can boost sex drive and increase performance, and it’s been shown to decrease erectile dysfunction. Moreover, researchers discovered that a 6-week program of moderate-intensity physical activity increased sexual satisfaction in men with low sex drive. Exercise can increase your libido by increasing your blood flow and oxygenation to the pelvic region. And if you’re feeling less than sexy, research suggests that working out with friends can improve your mood.
Regular exercise reduces triglyceride levels in your blood. Triglycerides are a type of fat that raises your risk for heart disease. In one study, highly active people had lower triglyceride levels than those who were inactive. The use of Cenforce 100 mg and Cenforce 200 mg helps men’s bodies maintain stable blood pressure while also enhancing heart health.
In addition to burning calories and building muscle, physical activity can also help prevent chronic diseases. Research has found that leisure-time physical activity can decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, some cancers (e.g., colon and prostate), and metabolic syndrome.
However, if you have a pre-existing injury or pain, you may not feel comfortable starting a new physical fitness routine. For those with musculoskeletal pain, try yoga or martial arts, which provide a full-body workout that strengthens muscles and bones and can reduce inflammation. Additionally, try exercising with a partner or joining a group exercise class. This will make you more likely to stick with your exercise regime, as you’ll be less likely to skip a workout if you have a friend waiting for you at the gym.
2. Better Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep can help boost your energy levels. Adequate sleep has been shown to improve muscle strength and endurance in men, which are important for a successful exercise program. However, sleep is also necessary for restoring other key functions such as memory function and motivation.
Studies have found that the majority of adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night for optimal health. However, a growing body of research is suggesting that regular exercise can lead to higher quality and longer duration of sleep than those who do not engage in regular physical activity.
Specifically, regular moderate-to-vigorous exercise increases the likelihood of sleeping 7-8 hours per night by creating what is called a positive feedback loop. When you exercise, your core temperature rises and signals to your brain that it’s time to sleep. This effect continues for about 30 to 90 minutes after you’re done exercising, which may explain why so many people feel drowsy right after working out. In addition, several studies have found that individuals who exercise regularly have a lower risk of having certain conditions that negatively affect sleep such as systemic hypertension, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, insomnia, and snoring or sleep apnea.
3. Increased Self-Esteem
Research shows that people who have high self-esteem are more likely to experience a positive outlook on life and a greater sense of well-being. In addition, they tend to be better able to cope with stress and adversity by putting negative experiences into perspective and taking positive actions. Having a healthy, positive sense of oneself is also linked to resilience, a key component in overcoming challenges and obstacles (Allegiance Health).
Although it is important to have high self-esteem, it is also vital to be realistic and have a concern for other people. Those with a concern for others tend to have higher self-esteem than those who do not (Greenwald, Farnham, & Rosenberg). Self-esteem is also associated with how individuals compare themselves to other people. Researchers have found that older adults are more able to closely align their actual standards with their ideal standards than younger people (Rothermund & Brandstadter).
In the past, self-esteem was thought to be a characteristic of Western individualistic societies. In 1986, California assemblyman John Vasconcellos sponsored a task force to combat low self-esteem under the premise that it was behind problems such as crime, teen pregnancy, school underachievement, and pollution (Misetich & Delis-Abrams, 2003).
However, more recent studies have shown that people from all cultures report high levels of self-esteem. It has been suggested that self-esteem is a result of the social expectations placed upon a person, and the level of pressure they feel to perform in certain ways (Baumeister & Lewes, 2003).
While it is difficult to determine how much of a role self-esteem plays in long-term outcomes, it is clear that it does have some impact. The good news is that self-esteem is not a fixed trait, and it can be raised by practicing certain behaviors, such as regular exercise and being surrounded by supportive people (Baumeister et al., 2003).
4. Increased Self-Confidence
Increasing your fitness isn’t just good for your health, but it also helps you feel better about yourself. When you’re confident, it’s easier to be assertive and stand up for what you believe in. You’re also less likely to get overwhelmed by stress, which can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression.
Whether you’re feeling down on yourself or simply want to boost your self-esteem, exercise is one of the easiest, most affordable, and most effective ways to do it. A wealth of research shows that a regular exercise routine, especially aerobic exercise like jogging or swimming, can help improve your mood. This is because it releases endorphins, natural mood enhancers that improve your overall men’s health.
Another great way to build confidence is through a workout that combines both cardiovascular and strength training, such as men’s martial arts. This full-body workout can help improve your balance and flexibility, while also boosting your focus and helping you gain more control over your body. This can lead to a more positive self-image and increase your confidence levels both at home and in the workplace.
Lastly, having more confidence can also benefit your relationships. Having a healthy sense of self-worth means that you’re more able to stand by your decisions and beliefs, and have the strength to walk away from a relationship that doesn’t treat you well. This is especially true in work environments, where confident people can communicate their thoughts and ideas with more ease. This results in a more productive and satisfying workplace environment for everyone involved.
5. Better Mental Health
Several studies have shown that physical fitness and exercise are associated with better mental health. One study followed participants for 7 years using a combination of objective measures of cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, as well as two standard clinical questionnaires assessing depression and anxiety. The researchers accounted for many variables that might be linked to both the level of physical fitness and mental health outcomes, such as age, smoking status, education level, and income.