Benefits of cardiovascular exercise

    Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, is any physical activity or movement that gets your heart rate up and increases the circulation of blood throughout the body. There are so many reasons why you should engage yourself in cardiovascular exercise. Although this form of exercise is perfect for weight loss, it should not be the only reason why you should do cardio. Whenever you want to exercise, be it for health reasons, weight loss or any fitness-related challenge, cardio should always be a part of your exercise routine because:

It improves heart health: No matter what your health intentions are, your heart needs to be in good condition before you can achieve them. Cardiovascular exercise is best for heart improvement; it works your heart directly, making it stronger, better and healthier. The more frequent you get your heart pumping at faster rate, the more it keeps it in proper shape.

It improves hormonal profile: According to bodybuilding.com, performing cardiovascular exercise also changes the hormonal profile in your body considerably. It releases feel good hormones that will help ease symptoms of depression and fatigue as well as releasing hormones that decrease the appetite. It is said that people who partake in regular cardio exercise often have more positive outlook on life simply because they are getting the stress relief benefits from these hormones.

A brain booster: Cardiovascular exercise floods the brain with chemicals that enhance functions such as memory, problem-solving and decision-making. Recently, a new research found that this kind of exercise may even cause permanent structural changes in the brain itself. Note that each time you do this kind of exercise, you are actually working out your heart and brain at the same time.

It increases metabolism: Another benefit of cardiovascular exercise is its effect on your metabolism. The more intense your cardio gets, the more fired up your metabolism will be. This will help your body to burn fat faster and better.