COVID-19 is spreading on a massive scale again, raising curiosity in and around us about what we can do to boost our immunity! A recent analysis of global data suggests that at least 20 minutes of physical activity per day can reduce the risk of COVID-19. In this way, you can protect yourself from the coronavirus.
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine recommends a total of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week to protect your body from COVID-19. The study concluded that regular physical activity can prevent the risk of severe COVID-19.
According to experts, regular exercise can best prevent the severity of respiratory infections. Not only Covid-19, regular exercise can also alleviate many other problems like obesity or type 2 diabetes that occurred after covid-19.
To understand the benefits of exercising every day, Health Shots contacted Dr. Pritha Nayyar, Consultant Respiratory Medicine at Asia Hospital.
Health benefits of daily physical activity for reducing the risk of COVID-19
Eating right is important for boosting immunity, but so is physical activity. According to Dr. Nayyar, exercising your body every day brings countless health benefits. He recommends exercising at least 3 times a week for at least 20-30 minutes. It can be anything from brisk to biking and running.
1. Reduce stress levels
Exercise is thought to reduce stress hormones in the body. Stress attacks your body’s immunity. A major cause of weakened immunity, regular exercise is thought to release endorphins, the happy hormones that keep stress away.
2. Intense competition for any type of infection
Getting your body involved in exercise can help fight infection better by increasing your antibody response. Regular 30 minutes of physical activity can help boost your immune system.
3. Better sleep quality
In general, 7-8 hours of sleep a day is recommended to rejuvenate your body and increase productivity. When your body regularly engages in strenuous, high-intensity workouts, your body will feel tired at the end of the day. This exhaustion improves sleep quality. Getting deep sleep every day can boost your immune system.
4. Prevent obesity by staying healthy
Obesity can cause many health problems and make you lazy and lethargic. Exercising can help reduce excess body weight and contribute to healthy weight management. Good health is a blessing in itself. Healthy people of ideal weight are less likely to develop disease. And, even if a person contracts a disease, the body is still able to fight an uphill battle against the infection.
5. Reduce the severity of COVID-19
Exercise such as running or cycling has been shown to increase lung capacity and improve respiratory health. Covid-19 attacks the human respiratory organs. Therefore, taking control of your respiratory health is critical to combating the risk of COVID or reducing the severity of its symptoms. Techniques such as deep breathing can improve the function of the respiratory organs.
