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8 Benefits of Doing Cardio

8 Benefits of Doing Cardio

Apr. 20th, 2023

Regular cardio exercise can benefit people of all ages, no matter their weight, body structure, or athletic abilities. Experts estimate that it’s important to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise each week.1

Here is some information on the importance of cardio to help you learn more about how this form of exercise can make a positive impact on your body.

What is Cardiovascular Exercise?

Cardiovascular exercises, also known as aerobic or endurance exercises, are known to increase your heart rate and oxygen usage while repetitively using certain muscle groups to increase your body’s blood flow. As a result, your heart, lungs, and circulatory system will strengthen and improve as your body becomes more efficient at using oxygen. For an exercise to be considered cardio, it must raise your heart rate into the moderate or vigorous intensity level for at least 10 minutes.2

The heart rate zones a person needs to aim for during aerobic exercise is based on their age and desired intensity level. A moderate level is 50-60% of your maximum heart rate, and a vigorous level is 70-80% of your maximum heart rate.3 You can use an online calculator or a heart rate monitor to determine what that zone will look like for you.

Some examples of common cardio exercises include:

  • Walking
  • Running
  • Swimming
  • Cycling
  • Water Aerobics
  • Biking
  • Dancing
  • Skiing
  • Volleyball
  • Basketball
  • Rowing
  • Kayaking
  • Jumping rope
  • Golfing
  • Mountain climbing
  • Rollerblading
  • Kickboxing
  • HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training)

The Benefits of Cardio

Here are some great cardio benefits you can get from regularly engaging in aerobic exercises!

Maintain Weight

One of the benefits of cardio is it can help you manage your weight. Cardio exercises are often hard on your body and can help you burn calories, making them a good option for losing or maintaining weight. Experts estimate that if you want to lose weight, you should do aerobic exercise five days a week for at least 250 minutes (4 hours, 10 minutes) each week.5

Strengthen heart health

Cardio exercises are designed to increase your oxygen use, which your muscles will absorb from the body’s blood. As a result, your heart rate will increase as your body needs more blood to transport oxygen to the muscles. Because aerobic exercise is repetitive while challenging your body, over time your body will improve its oxygen use. Your heart health will strengthen as a result of your body being better able to utilize oxygen because it will need to pump less blood.6 Some of the best cardio exercises for strengthening your heart include walking, cycling, swimming, and interval training.7

Lower Blood Pressure

Cardio exercise can lower your blood pressure as your body strengthens the heart, which reduces the amount of blood your body needs to use. This can help those who have high blood pressure or are at risk for blood pressure level increases.8 The American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association experts state that a normal person should have blood pressure levels of 120/80 mm Hg or lower. It is estimated that you need to perform 1-3 months of exercise for it to have a positive effect on your blood pressure levels.9

Reduce Cholesterol Levels

One of the many cardio workout benefits is these exercises are designed to get your blood pumping, which can improve your body’s blood flow circulation. This improvement in blood flow can help the body get rid of LDL cholesterol, which is the “bad” cholesterol that can clog your arteries and put you at risk for illnesses such as heart disease or strokes. Some of the best cardio exercises to lower cholesterol include jogging, cycling, brisk walking, and swimming.10

Boost Mood

Regular exercise has been proven to help improve mood and reduce mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. One way cardio can boost your mood is it releases brain chemicals called endorphins that can improve your sense of well-being. Cardio can also help you take your mind off a busy day and help you focus on the activity that you’re doing instead.11

Regulate Blood Sugar

When you exercise, your body will increase its sensitivity to insulin, a hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. Your muscles will use the insulin for energy as you engage in cardio activity. As a result, your blood sugar levels will decrease, making cardio exercise a natural way to reduce your body’s blood sugar levels. It is estimated that regular physical activity can lower your blood sugar for up to 24 hours.12

Improve Immune System

Aerobic exercise has been proven to boost the body’s immune system. A study found that doing cardio exercise for at least 30-45 minutes at a moderate or vigorous intensity will improve the retention and circulation of the body’s defensive cells.13 This will help your body become more equipped to fight harmful bacteria and viruses whenever they enter your body.

Improve Sleep

Aerobic exercise is linked to improving the length of the brain’s slow wave sleep cycle, which is when your body is in a state of deep sleep.14 During the slow wave sleep cycle, your body will perform important functions including repairing tissues and muscles, regenerating cells, strengthening immunity, and balancing blood sugar levels. Most adults will spend 15-25% of their sleep time in slow wave sleep.15 It is estimated that 30 minutes of cardio exercise will have a positive impact on your sleep, making this another one of the great benefits of cardio.14

We Encourage You to Exercise Regularly

Now that you’re aware of the importance of cardio and how this form of exercise can make a positive impact on your body, we encourage you to try some of these exercises today. If you haven’t tried exercising before, start with a small goal of 10 minutes a day and build up over time to the recommended 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week. If you have any health concerns or questions about performing aerobic exercise, contact a medical professional.

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Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long-term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

Sources

  1. Marcin, Ashley. Bubnis, Daniel, ed. “What Are the Benefits of Aerobic Exercise?” Red Ventures, Healthline Media. Last updated 25 February 2020. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/benefits-of-aerobic-exercise
  2. “What Is Cardiovascular Exercise?” Fyzical. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.fyzical.com/lakewoodranch/blog/What-Is-a-Cardiovascular-Exercise
  3. “Moderate vs. vigorous exercise for cancer prevention.” The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/moderate-exercise-vigorous-exercise.h32Z1590624.html
  4. “Target Heart Rate Calculator.” NATIONAL HEART FOUNDATION OF AUSTRALIA, Heart Online. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.heartonline.org.au/resources/calculators/target-heart-rate-calculator#:~:text=There%20are%20two%20formulae%20currently,0
  5. “Cardiovascular Training Vs. Strength Training for Weight Loss.” Beaumont. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.beaumont.org/services/weight-loss/cardiovascular-training-vs-strength-training-for-weight-loss#:~:text=Cardio's%20role%20in%20helping%20you,%2C%2010%20minutes)%20each%20week.
  6. “7 Heart Benefits of Exercise.” John Hopkins Medicine. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/7-heart-benefits-of-exercise
  7. “6 Best Exercises to Strengthen Your Heart.” Intermountain Health. Last Updated 2 March 2021. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/heart/2019/02/6-best-exercises-to-strengthen-your-heart/
  8. “Hypertension: What is it and How to Prevent it.” Saber Healthcare Group. 23 September 2021. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.saberhealth.com/news/blog/hypertension-risks-and-prevention
  9. “Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure.” Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). 10 November 2022. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/in-depth/high-blood-pressure/art-20045206#:~:text=Regular%20exercise%20makes%20the%20heart,This%20lowers%20blood%20pressure
  10. “Does Exercise Lower Cholesterol?” Cleveland Clinic, Health Essentials. 3 November 2021. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-exercise-lower-cholesterol/
  11. “Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms.” Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495#:~:text=Exercise%20helps%20prevent%20and%20improve,improve%20mood%20and%20reduce%20anxiety.
  12. “Blood Sugar and Exercise.” American Diabetes Association. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/fitness/getting-started-safely/blood-glucose-and-exercise#:~:text=Physical%20activity%20can%20lower%20your,see%20the%20benefits%20of%20activity.
  13. Nieman, David C, and Laurel M Wentz. “The compelling link between physical activity and the body's defense system.” Journal of sport and health science vol. 8,3 (2019): 201-217. doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009. Link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523821/
  14. “Exercising for Better Sleep.” The Johns Hopkins University, John Hopkins Medicine. Accessed 2 March 2023. Link: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/exercising-for-better-sleep#:~:text=Research%20Shows%20Exercise%20Decreases%20Insomnia,to%20those%20of%20sleeping%20pills.
  15. “Everything You Should Know About Slow Wave Sleep (SWS).” WHOOP. 15 October 2021. Accessed 3 March 2023. Link: https://www.whoop.com/thelocker/what-is-slow-wave-sleep-sws/
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