1 . Everyone benefits from exercise, no matter their age, sex or physical ability. Here are a few ways that exercise can lead to a happier, healthier you.

Exercise controls weight. When you take part in physical activity, you burn calories. Regular trips to the gym are great, but don’t worry if you can’t find lots of time to exercise every day.     1     Just get more active throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Worried about heart diseases? Expecting to prevent high blood pressure?     2     Being active increases the “good” cholesterol (胆固醇) and decreases unhealthy triglycerides (甘油三酯). This keeps your blood flowing smoothly, reducing your risk of suffering from heart and blood diseases.

Needing an emotional lift?     3     A visit to the gym or a brief walk can help. Physical activity stimulates (刺激) many brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier, more relaxed and less anxious.

Struggling to fall into sleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster, get better sleep and deepen your sleep.     4     Or you may be too energized to go to sleep.

    5     They give you a chance to enjoy the outdoors or simply do activities that make you happy. Physical activity can also help you connect with family or friends in a fun social setting. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. Bored? Try something new, or do something with friends or family.

4 . Long after the coronavirus pandemic is declared over, another health plight(困境) could take its place: a mental health crisis, experts have warned. But according to a new study, practicing yoga may help to reduce the blues, at least somewhat.

Researchers with the University of South Australia, in a partnership with the Federal University of Santa Maria, UNSW Sydney, Kings College London, and Western Sydney University, conducted what is said to be the first “world study” on the mental health benefits of practicing yoga.

In a meta-analysis of 180 studies across six countries that involved some 1,080 participants-all of whom had a “formal diagnosis of a mental disorder, including depression and anxiety,” according to news release on the findings-researchers found that the participants’ mental health improved with “movement-based yoga,” with the benefits “being incremental(递增的) with the amount of yoga they practiced,” they said.

Movement-based yoga was defined by the researchers as “any form of yoga where participants are physically active at least 50 percent of the time, that is, forms of yoga that emphasize holding poses and flowing through series of poses,” according to the news release.

“As self-isolation continues and people find themselves working from home and unable to physically catch up with their friends and family, we’re likely to see more people feel lonely and disconnected,” said lead researcher and University of South Australia Ph.D. candidate Jacinta Brinsley, in a statement. “Exercise has always been a great strategy for people struggling with these feelings as it boosts both mood and health. But as gyms and exercise classes of all kinds are now closed — even jogging with a friend is strongly discouraged — people are looking for options, and this is where yoga can help.”

Our research shows that movement-based yoga improved symptoms of depression(or improved mental health) for people living with a range of mental health conditions, including anxiety, post-traumatic(创伤后) stress and major depression. “So, it’s very good news for people struggling in times of uncertainty,” Brinsley added.

5 . Doctors have long known that diet and exercise are the best ways to stay healthy. But few people get enough exercise. Only 20% of Americans get the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity per week. More than 80 million Americans over age 6 are entirely inactive. People leading a sedentary (久坐的) life pay a price. They are at higher risk for serious health problems. These include heart disease and cancer.

Health experts want people to know about the benefits of exercise. They believe it can lead to slower aging, better moods, stronger vision—the list goes on.

This year, the U. S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is starting a major study. It will record in detail what happens inside a body in motion (运动). Through its research，the NIH hopes to prove scientifically that exercise is good medicine.

The project will run for six years. A group of about 3, 000 sedentary people will take part in the project. They will range from 11-year-olds to the elderly. The group will begin an exercise program. Their blood, fat, and muscle will be studied before and after each workout. Scientists will look for clues to how the body changes with physical activity. A group that doesn't exercise will also be tracked. Experts will compare the two groups. Studies show that many positive changes happen in the body during and after a workout.

One of the best pieces of news is that much of what we already do counts as physical activity. “Sweeping the floor, watering the plants, washing the car—all that is exercise,” says Jack Berryman. He is a retired professor of medical history at Washington University School of Medicine, in Seattle. “Physical activity includes all movement, not just throwing a ball through a basket.”

Bamman hopes the NIH study will help doctors give each of their patients a detailed workout plan. In the meantime, here is a prescription (处方) for good health: Get active!