When you exercise your heart rate increases. Your prehistoric brain thinks you are fighting or fleeing an enemy so it releases chemicals into your body. One of the chemicals is called endorphins and this takes away the pain from exercise and actually makes you feel good! Another chemical (Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor) repairs nerve cells (neurons) in your brain. This means that your brain is more alert and ready to learn. So exercise can actually make you feel good and help you learn more easily.

Just look at this scan of a brain!

All exercise uses muscles. Regular exercise can improve muscle size, strength and resilience. Resilience Exercises Resilience or endurance exercises like running and cycling make your muscles stronger and this means they are less likely to get tired. Resistance Exercises Other exercises can make your muscles bigger. These are called ‘resistance’ exercises. People lift heavy objects which makes the muscles contract as hard as they can. Some exercises like swimming are good for endurance and resistance. They make muscles stronger and bigger!

Your heart is a muscle which pumps blood around your body. An average human heart beats 100,000 times a day. But, hearts can become unhealthy! Everyone should exercise for at least thirty minutes, three times a week. Getting regular exercise will: - Lower blood pressure (which can cause heart disease) - Improve circulation - Decrease bad cholesterol which makes fat in your arteries and can cause heart disease This doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym. It could just be a walk to the shops and back or a stroll in the forest.

When you exercise, your body temperature increases by up to two degrees. Approximately four to five hours after exercise your body temperature begins to fall and it is this fall in body temperature which makes you begin to feel sleepy. In fact, research shows that regular exercise will make you feel more sleepy at bedtime and enter in to a longer, deeper sleep. Because you will have a better night’s sleep, you will feel more energetic the following day!

Maintaining a healthy weight is important because it can prevent illnesses, give people lots of energy to enjoy life and help them to feel good about themselves. In order to maintain a healthy weight, people should exercise three times a week for thirty minutes. It really doesn’t matter what the exercise is. It might be swimming, karate, walking or cycling. The most important thing is try and find something that you enjoy!