Unique Benefits of Exercise

There are many benefits of exercise, some more obvious than others, but there may be a few benefits that surprise you. This article highlights a few reasons that might help you (or your patients) be active and do one of the best things you possibly can do for your body. Nurses General Nursing Article

Unique Benefits of Exercise

We all hear about the benefits of exercise, and for many of us as nurses, it is part of our job to encourage patients to stay active.  All people are different, and therefore they all have different motivating factors.  Some people might desire the more obvious benefits of exercise such as weight loss, increased muscle tone, and increased stamina.  Others find the less visible changes to be more beneficial including improved sleep, decreased incidence of depression, and improved mood.  The benefits can be short-term, like increased energy, or long-term, such as improved lipid levels over time.  These are all excellent reasons to exercise.

However, sometimes a small change in perspective can help to drive home the need for something like exercise.  Nursing is a challenging profession and can take a toll on physical and mental health, so here are some extra reasons to stay healthy by including exercise as part of your regular routine.  These unique benefits are just a few more reasons to help you to stay motivated.

The first unique benefit is exercise gives you more time, not less

One of the most common barriers is feeling like there is not enough time in the day to get everything done, much less squeeze in time to exercise.  Helpful advice is to treat it like an appointment that can’t be canceled and plan ahead to make sure it is in your schedule.  But consider this: exercise may give you more energy and help you focus on a task so that you can accomplish more in less time.  Exercise can also prevent or delay chronic diseases – what better way to make more time than by living a longer life with less morbidity so you can enjoy those healthy years?            

The next unique benefit is exercise saves you money

If you do some homework, such as researching your health insurance to see if they pay for gym memberships or access to exercise apps or discounts on gym equipment, then you will likely find that you have some good exercise options that are free or inexpensive.  Combine those money-saving tools with the decreased incidence of diabetes, heart disease, and other conditions that would cost you lots of money for medical exams, medications, testing, etc., and there is no question that it would save you money on medical expenses down the line.  (Why do you think health insurance companies provide those benefits?!)  You might even be inspired to combine exercise with other healthy habits such as quitting smoking, cutting down on drinking, and cooking meals at home.  All of the above saves you money!

Another unique benefit is exercise can help you be more successful

Exercise has been proven to improve mood and decrease stress.  Investing time and energy into yourself can be empowering.  Setting aside time and having reliable equipment to exercise on or joining a group that helps keep you accountable are methods that signal to yourself that you are important and you can do what you set your mind to.  Your success in keeping to an exercise program could spread to other areas of your life.  It could help give you the self-confidence to ask for a raise or take on a new position you’ve been considering.

The final unique benefit is exercise does good for others

This could be true in many different ways.  For example, you inspire family members or co-workers to start their own exercise after they see the benefits you experience.  It can help you stay healthy for longer and therefore better able to care for a family member or keep a job you love.  Keeping yourself healthy enables you to be your best self for other people.

We have at our disposal a therapy that can help us live longer, save money, be successful, and benefit others.  It has no bad side effects (of course you have to exercise safely), and you have many options to find the kind of exercise that you enjoy.  It may take a little bit of research, planning, and probably some trial and error to find exactly what works for you, but it will be worth it in the end.  If you are working on being more active I hope some of these inspire you to continue your journey.

References/Resources

Real-Life Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity

Benefits of Physical Activity

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Ellen Grover

About Ellen Grover, MSN, RN

Ellen Grover has 13 years experience as a MSN, RN and specializes in hospital, clinical, and educational settings.

3 Articles   12 Posts

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But let's be fair and say that exercise is also draining, time-consuming, doesn't work unless you can radically change your diet to cut out carbs and cook lots of protein-based foods (they say it's 80% diet), and can remember to consistently bring and change into workout clothes (try lifting barbells without weightlifting gloves!). There's just a ton of effort that goes into executing workouts properly, and lots of research to make sure that you've got proper form on the exercises. Before my shifts, all I have the energy and focus to do is to get ready for work. And after 12 hour shifts, all I want to do is eat a big meal (from anywhere, really) and pass out. We have enough commitments in our life as it is - whether it be financial, romantic/relationship, familial, work, home, etc. Sure, if you're a teenager and don't have to worry about maintaining a household or maximizing your income, you can pick this up as a hobby. In adulthood, it should be no surprise that exercise ends up a frivolity that is only done casually when there's sufficient willpower.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.
2 hours ago, Samian Q said:

In adulthood, it should be no surprise that exercise ends up a frivolity that is only done casually when there's sufficient willpower.

I say this as someone who has found every reason to NOT work out for much of the past four years, but I think you took an unnecessarily defiant stance in your response. The OP didn't say you had to become a hardcore gym rat in order to get any benefit. Exercise could be as little as a 30 minute walk, elevating your heart rate, 3-5 times a week. That can be done in your scrubs and work shoes when you get home before sitting down to eat. One Summer a coworker and I left our 12 hour shifts, put our stuff in the car and did a three mile walk before heading home. We both got benefits from that routine for a few months. Did I look like Jillian Michaels? No. But I had more energy and it did help to cue me to make some better nutrition choices as well. I've only just recently started to get back into working out, and again, I'm not talking anything hardcore- currently mine is a fun virtual reality program my son purchased with his Christmas money. 

Just like anything else, we prioritize the things that are important to us. It's not frivolous to want better health. My only goal is to make myself harder to kill. If you don't find it to be a priority that's fine, but finding excuses doesn't mean it can't be done. 

OP, thank you for sharing. 

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Specializes in hospital, clinical, and educational settings.
4 hours ago, Samian Q said:

But let's be fair and say that exercise is also draining, time-consuming, doesn't work unless you can radically change your diet to cut out carbs and cook lots of protein-based foods (they say it's 80% diet), and can remember to consistently bring and change into workout clothes (try lifting barbells without weightlifting gloves!). There's just a ton of effort that goes into executing workouts properly, and lots of research to make sure that you've got proper form on the exercises. Before my shifts, all I have the energy and focus to do is to get ready for work. And after 12 hour shifts, all I want to do is eat a big meal (from anywhere, really) and pass out. We have enough commitments in our life as it is - whether it be financial, romantic/relationship, familial, work, home, etc. Sure, if you're a teenager and don't have to worry about maintaining a household or maximizing your income, you can pick this up as a hobby. In adulthood, it should be no surprise that exercise ends up a frivolity that is only done casually when there's sufficient willpower.

Thanks for responding.  I agree that finding the time and energy to exercise can definitely be challenging, especially at different stages of our lives.

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Specializes in hospital, clinical, and educational settings.
2 hours ago, JBMmom said:

One Summer a coworker and I left our 12 hour shifts, put our stuff in the car and did a three mile walk before heading home. We both got benefits from that routine for a few months. 

Thanks for commenting.  Great job putting in the effort and prioritizing yourself!  I hope you continue and reap the benefits.

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