Increasing Your Longevity with Exercise

Most people want to live longer lives. Although this desire is naturally one of self-interest, others benefit as well. Your family depends on your support, both emotional and financial. Therefore their security depends on how well you take care of yourself. While you can and should provide financial security with the right life insurance plan, it's in their best interest that you are always there to see them through the challenges they will face.

The Minimal Exercise Requirement

There are many scientific studies that support the claim that exercise prolongs life. So the question is not whether you should exercise, it's how much and what kind you should do. The good news is that the minimum amount for increasing longevity isn't much at all. As long as it's done on a regular basis and elevates your heart rate, you will benefit. A brisk 11 minute daily walk is all you need to benefit. By increasing the length of these walks, you will get increased longevity gains. However, additional gains level off at about 43 minutes of daily brisk walking. a person walking down a sidewalk

Why Exercise Prolongs Life

Like unused plumbing that corrodes and fills with deposits, the cardiovascular system needs to be put to use for optimal performance. Otherwise the heart muscle weakens, plaque builds up on the walls of blood vessels and blood vessel inflammation occurs, which restricts blood flow. Heart disease is a major killer of sedentary people. With the cardiovascular system, you must literally use it or lose it and of course, you need it to stay alive.

Exercise reduces the risk of chronic illness. It also causes secondary effects that prolong life. These effects include an improved sense of well-being, stress reduction, improved sleep, reduced muscle loss and stronger bones. Unhappiness, chronic stress and insufficient sleep have been shown to shorten life. Retaining as much muscle mass as possible is important because muscle tissue elevates the metabolism, which means fewer calories are stored as fat. Muscle mass prevents falling, which can cause serious injuries in the elderly population. A life habit of brisk walking keeps the leg muscles active and reduces their atrophy. Including strength exercises in your routine will also increase these benefits.

Those who make exercise a part of their lives also tend to be more health conscious in general. These additional health habits, such as a good diet, can add extra years to your life beyond what you achieve with exercise alone.

Another benefit of exercise is that it makes you a good candidate for life insurance. The younger and healthier you are, the lower your premiums. Life insurance providers generally use a health classification system. The highest ratings correspond to the healthiest candidates, while the lowest ratings correspond to health levels that are close to being uninsurable. There may be as many as 15 classifications. Each successive level down from the top might be charged as much as 25 percent more than the level just above it. As you can see, the premiums you pay quickly add up as you go down the health classification levels.

Being in good health literally pays. If you aren't insured, consider its advantages and talk to your independent insurance agent.

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