Nowadays, people have become extremely health-conscious more than ever. They tend to lead a healthy lifestyle that involves good habits like waking up early, limiting the usage of cigarettes and alcohol and maintaining a balanced diet, which helps build a strong immune system.

Another important aspect of building your immune system is regular exercise. It is scientifically proven that exercises have various health benefits. It not only helps in improving your physical health but also your mental health. Even the topmost officials of important health governing bodies like Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) recommend daily exercise to build better immunity.

How Does Exercising Regularly Help Boost Immunity?

Daily exercising in gym leads to a superb immune response, a lower risk of falling sick and a reduced rate of inflammation. Only a modest number of immune cells circulate throughout the human body, usually residing in the lymphoid tissues and organs, such as the spleen, where your body fights disease-causing viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. Researches show that an hour of exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity can increase the rate of blood and lymph flow throughout your body due to muscle contraction, which in turn allows the immune cells to circulate freely throughout the body at a much faster rate. Various highly specialised immune cells — such as natural killer cells and T-cells, are regenerated via exercising.

Reduction in Inflammation in the Body

Among others, reducing inflammation in the body is one of the biggest advantages of exercise, which can help boost immunity. Some researchers have linked lower inflammatory markers levels to those who exercise more frequently and have been noticed to be much fitter. Moreover, they state that immunity goes hand in hand with exercising. When immune cells operate in an inflammatory environment, the immune system becomes chronically inflamed, making it more difficult to combat infection. Thus, to reduce inflammation, one must increase their exercise level. Even 45 minutes of brisk walking can lead to a rise in the number of immune cells circulating in the body.

Prevention of Respiratory Diseases

Exercising at a moderate intensity causes your heart and lungs to work harder to provide the extra oxygen your muscles require. A person who exercises regularly, their blood volume is usually much higher. Their capacity to collect oxygen from the lungs and blood is usually much better than a person who does not. Exercising also helps in the removal of microorganisms from your lungs. As a result, just as exercise strengthens your muscles, it also strengthens your lungs. Researches show that if aerobic exercise is done for five or more days a week for twelve weeks continuously, the chances of upper respiratory infections like flu and the common cold reduce by more than 40% and acute respiratory illness by 14%.

Even though exercising prompts an initial reaction from your immune system, this response will fade with time unless you continue to exercise regularly. As mentioned above, the entire process keeps repeating itself every time you take part in a physically strenuous job or exercise and thus, as time goes on, it all starts adding up and results in a long-term effect.

Drawbacks of Over-Exercising

That being said, nothing is too good when done uncontrollably, not even exercise. Overworking oneself for an extended period might put one at a greater danger of illness. When carried out for long periods of time, intense exercises can cause stress to the body, leading to reduced immunity. Therefore, it is always wise to consult your doctor before starting or re-adjusting your fitness plan. It is even more essential if you have an inner lying health problem that needs to be addressed. Even though you might feel perfectly healthy, there’s always a chance that your body is subjected to over-exercising.

Before You Go

If you’re feeling any of the symptoms like light-headedness, nausea, dizziness, pain in the joints, chest, arm, neck, jaw or shoulder pain, uneven fast heartbeats or severe difficulty in breathing, it is recommended to stop exercising immediately and rest until you feel better. But, undoubtedly, controlled exercising definitely helps boost immunity.