Exercise – Please Move More

Our current world is a tumultuous landscape rife with technological innovation and cultural change. As we shed the vellum scrolls and drawn carriages of centuries past for the digital documents and automated vehicles of today, it can be easy to forget that not everything has changed. After all, we cannot automate exercise and the benefits it brings. I’ll be the first to admit it: I’ve neglected my exercise. But as a student, what can you do? I was a junior last year, and as anyone who has forded this educational river can tell you, all you have time to do is try to stay on top of your assignments, and God forbid you forget about that math test. But I digress.

 

Why should we exercise? 

Exercise can bring about improvements that affect one’s day-to-day life in myriad ways. Excluding the obvious benefits of greater ease of movement, more endurance doing strenuous tasks, and taking up less space on the subway, exercise has been shown to improve both sleep and mental health, which are essential to every single one of us. With the advent of today’s mental health crises, mental health has been thrust to the forefront of our collective consciences, and every little bit helps. Short-term benefits aside, exercise aids in the prevention of heart problems, the defense against disease, and select cancers. Who could have thought that a potentially life-threatening illness could have been subverted simply by going on a walk now and then, or making good on that New Year’s resolution of going to the gym? 

 

Is exercise a new issue? 

Of course not. For years now, global obesity rates have been on the rise, with the average percentage of overweight adults growing from 25% in 1990 to 43% in 2022. While the lack of exercise is not the only contributing factor, it certainly is the largest. After all, not everyone has the means to avoid added sugars and the like, but I’m certain that every single person could spare the time to take a stroll on a nice sunny day. The real issue here is linked to that magical rectangle in your pocket. Make no mistake, I do not decry phones as the work of the devil, or even blame them for all of our problems, but, as is the case with all things, some moderation is in order. I’m sure that we all know that one person with the 12-hour screen time, with a good 11½ of those hours devoted to TikTok. I know I do because that person was me. Try deleting social media, and then revel in the freedom this choice brings. While social media may seem important at first, it can be most aptly described by Jane Austen: “Which of all my important nothings shall I tell you first?”

 

How do we exercise? 

The answer is simple: however, you want. Just as colleges don’t expect you to take APs not offered by your school, don’t expect yourself to go to the gym if you don’t live near one, buy a home gym if you have no spare cash, or go on runs if you live in a dangerous area. If you’re in high school, just join a sports team. Even if you don’t want to exercise, I’m sure the cajoling and peer pressure will get you to anyway. After all, it’s what I’m doing this summer.

 

References:

1. CDC. (2024, May 10). Benefits of physical activity. Physical Activity Basics. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/benefits/index.html.

2. Medline Plus. (2017, August 30). Benefits of exercise. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/benefitsofexercise.html.

3. World Health Organization. (2024, March 1). Obesity and overweight. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.