As we come into the colder months, it is now more important than ever to consider the adjustments we can make to our lifestyle to avoid infection and illness.
The good news is that strengthening your immune system can be as easy as heading out for a walk.
“Regular, moderate-intensity exercise can result in lower stress levels, improved sleep patterns, a boost in your mood, and increase circulation of immune cells – all factors contributing to a healthy immune system,” Dr Priya Chagan tells 9Honey.
READ MORE: Aussie aren’t getting enough vitamin D in winter
Here, Dr Chagan, General Manager of Health Services at TAL, shares three key benefits that exercise can play in bolstering your immune system.
1. Cellular immunity
Regular, moderate-intensity exercise has long been proven to benefit not only your immune system, but overall health and wellbeing.
This level of exercise stimulates cellular immunity by increasing the circulation of immune cells in your body. By strengthening your immune system, your body becomes better prepared to detect infection earlier and avoid serious illness.
READ MORE: What you can do now to avoid a cold or flu this winter
2. Stress release
Physical activity is a common tool for stress release – and that’s because it helps bump up the production of the brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and engaging in consistent moderate movement will help to slow down the release of stress hormones whilst positively triggering neurotransmitters in the brain that influence our mood – helping to keep our stress levels low and our mood positive.
3. Avoid immune compromise
Exercising and maintaining an active lifestyle is key in avoiding an immune compromise and can help decrease the risk of serious health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Exercise can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression, and anxiety. These conditions by nature weaken your immune system and leave you more susceptible to infection, and that’s why it’s important to remember that exercise can increase your immunity to certain illnesses.
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