Turning to supplements and medications for treating hormone-related health issues like anxiety, stress, mood swings, sleep deprivation etc. is quite normal. But keeping yourself engaged in physical activities too can help you in balancing your hormones. As we are living in a fast-paced modern society, regular exercise has become more important than ever. There are a number of benefits associated with daily exercise, but did you know that this can also help in keeping your hormones under control? Yes, you heard it right. Let's know more about how workouts can help in your hormonal well-being.
Hormones that are affected by regular exercises
Here are some of the hormones that are affected by regular exercise -
Dopamine: Studies have shown that exercising daily can increase the dopamine levels in your brain. This hormone stimulates the feel- good transmitters and decreases stress.
Serotonin: Engaging in physical activity means that your serotonin levels are boasted. Increase level of serotonin in your brain positively impacts your mood, social behavior, appetite, digestion, memory and sexual function. Many people rely on pills to sleep but increased serotonin levels can help such people sleep better.
Human growth hormones: Regular exercise helps your body burn fat and to make energy from the reserved fat. Human growth hormones are also impacted positively with exercise.
Estrogen - Keeping your heartbeat fast for at least half an hour a day can positively impact your estrogen levels.
Testosterone - This hormone impacts a number of health aspects of a man like muscle mass, strength, sex drive, and sperm count. Regular exercise is proven to increase the testosterone levels in males.
Exercises to do for hormonal balance
Strength training: A general full body routine 2-3 times a week can do wonders. You can go for strength training like upper pushing (like pushup or overhead press), lower pulling (like a deadlift or hip bridge), upper pulling (like a pull-up or row) and lower pushing (like a squat or lunge).
HIIT workouts - High intensity interval training is the most time efficient way to exercise. You can add exercises like squats, lunges, pull-ups, crunches and pushups to your routine.
Stretching: Stretching lowers the levels of stress hormones. You can join a Yoga or gymnastics class or can practice it in your home. Few studies have shown that regular stretching can have similar effects on enhancing and maintaining mass in individuals who are prohibited from or otherwise are unable to do weight training /strength training.
Walking: Walking is more effective than you think. Walking regularly can positively impact your hormones. Not to mention, it is a fun activity to add in your exercise routine and also it doesn't require any equipment. This can be done at home as you pace from one room to another while being on call or even listening to music. 120 to 180 minutes of walking per week is recommended for good cardiac health.
Don't sit still for long: Making an exercise routine with hectic office hours can be a challenge but you should avoid sitting on a desk for long. Take a break and walk around or talk to your colleagues. A break between hectic work is important. Alternatively having a standing desk or an exercise ball instead of a chair for a couple of minutes each hour can go a long way in improving your core strength.
Conclusion
Health experts recommend pairing up strength training with cardio exercises to boost up your hormonal balance. You can go for high intensity exercises like squats, lunges, pull-ups, crunches, or pushups. Apart from these, your consistency also impacts the steady release of hormones in your body. You should remember that these positive changes would not happen overnight, and you must work hard for achieving a fit body. Make exercising a part of your lifestyle rather than a temporary obsession.
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