Exercise is a vital piece of Americans' everyday life. The average person walks around 4,000 steps each day. That adds up to almost 2 miles! There are many different ways that people are getting in their much needed exercise each and every day. There is a wide range of activities that people can do to keep themselves in good condition. It could be that they are one of the top athletes in the world and exercising is a part of their job, or it could also just be a regular person getting up from the couch to get some more food. Either way, there is some sort of exercise involved in every activity we participate in. There are many ways in which exercise is beneficial to your physical health, mental health, and social health. 

To begin with, exercise is very good for one’s physical health. Every time that someone participates in any kind of exercise, they are improving the strength and endurance of their muscles. The more you exercise, the better you will become at it and the easier it will become for you, which makes you want to do it more often (“Exercise”).

This is important because people would much rather do things that are easy for them than doing something that is hard for them. The heart is one of the most important muscles in the human body, which is another reason why it is crucial to strengthen it. There are many different types of exercise that can help to get people in better shape. “Everyone can experience the health benefits of physical activity – age, abilities, ethnicity, shape, or size do not matter” (“Benefits of Physical Activity”).  Along with exercise strengthening muscles, exercise also helps with regulating one’s weight. The more exercise people participate in, the better chance they have of losing weight and transforming their bodies into the one they always wanted. According to Tyler Wheeler, “The American Heart Association says that people who maintain a healthy weight and are physically active live an average of 7 years longer than those who don’t” (Wheeler). Knowing this information definitely should increase a person’s desire to exercise, and motivate them to help themselves live a longer and happier life. All in all, there are a lot of physical benefits to exercising. 

Next, exercise is beneficial to one’s mental health. Exercise can lower stress levels and anxiety by calming down your body and brain (Wheeler). When stress levels are lower, it helps every part of the day go better. People tend to feel more recharged after they exercise, and feel like they are able to participate in different kinds of activities that require attention and brain power. Along with this, getting a good amount of exercise can help individuals get a better night's sleep (Wheeler). There are a lot of positives that come from a little extra sleep each night. When people who exercise wake up in the morning, they feel different than someone who didn’t do anything the day before, they feel like they have enough energy to do their everyday activities. According to Jeffery Larson, “the benefits of exercise not only extend into the areas of physical health but also enhance emotional wellbeing” (Larson). Exercising helps one’s ability to successfully handle the stressful situations that occur in everyday life. It also helps people deal with difficult situations that may be thrown at them at any point in time. To sum it up, exercise is very important to one’s mental health. 

Lastly, exercise is beneficial to one’s social health. There is research that shows exercise leads to increased confidence, leadership, and empathy towards others. Being involved in a team sport can especially help to increase one’s social health and wellbeing (Cadets). Members of a team learn how to work together and listen to others. It also helps give a sense of feeling wanted and belonging to a group of people who share similar interests. It’s as easy as choosing to go on a walk or run with a friend that can help make a person feel wanted and relieve the stress that they may be feeling. Exercise also helps with communication with others that helps build better relationships. According to Army Cadets, as people become stronger and faster, their self-confidence will grow and they will become very appreciative of the physical things they are able to do that they couldn’t do before (Cadets). Confidence is a very big piece in feeling like hard things are able to be completed. Exercise helps build a confident mindset and a drive to succeed in all parts of life. Ultimately, exercise is very beneficial to one’s social health and well-being. 

Exercise is proven to have positive results in all people in many different ways. It doesn’t matter what you do, just get out of your comfort zone and try something new, you never know if you like something if you don’t try it. Invite a friend or family member to go on a walk, or maybe go swimming at the lake. Either way, just getting out and getting in physical activity can take you a long way and help you reach your physical, mental, and social goals.