Stretch time and money for exercise
Fri 05 November 2010
Emma Macmillan, Bachelor of Journalism
University students benefit physically and psychologically from exercise, but many see a lack of time and money as difficult hurdles to overcome.
The Mayo Clinic said that the physical benefits of exercise included increased strength, fitness, agility, speed and power.
Exercising could also combat heart disease, help manage high blood pressure and prevent osteoporosis.
University of the Sunshine Coast international student studying exercise science Ande Kloss said “I work out to maintain a healthy body weight for disease prevention and overall health”.
The Mayo Clinic said that exercise boosts energy level by delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues, which improves circulation.
This in turn helped the heart and lungs work more efficiently.
Exercising could also deepen sleep and help people fall asleep faster.
USC international student studying child and special education Shaheen Quandt said “I have more energy when I work out...I even sleep better at night”.
While the physical benefits were more obvious, the psychological benefits sometimes remained unnoticed.
Health Guidance said that when people exercise, endorphins, or “feel good” hormones, are released.
These endorphins cultivated calm, energetic and optimistic feelings.
“Psychologically I’m in a much better mood,” Ms Quandt said.
“If I’m ever in a bad mood, I try to remember the last time I worked out, and if it’s been a few days, I go work out and feel better.”
Health Guidance said that exercising could improve short-term memory, which helped with non-verbal reasoning and mathematics tasks, ultimately improving IQ and overall cognitive function.
Health Guidance said “furthermore, exercise has been shown to actually lead to the birth of new brain cells in the hippocampus”.
“I actually find that when I’m exercising diligently, I’m studying diligently,” Ms Kloss said.
“It [exercising] makes me more disciplined.”
Exercising also led to more testosterone production in the pituitary gland, which can help men and women feel more driven, ambitious and confident.
“You feel better about yourself because you look better,” Ms Kloss said.
The Mayo Clinic said that regular physical activity resulted in the participant feeling better and more energised, which could have a positive effect on their sex life.
Despite the physical and psychological benefits to regularly exercising, university students sometimes said they did not possess the money or the time, or a combination of both.
“During especially busy weeks of school and work and other stuff, I sometimes don’t feel like I have the time to go to the gym,” Ms Kloss said.
“And, I don’t want to pay the money for the exercise classes here [University of the Sunshine Coast].”
However, exercising did not have to be confined to an expensive gym.
Students had a variety of options that were free, including running, walking, hiking and playing basketball or tennis.
Five minutes from USC’s campus there were two areas with outdoor gym equipment, located along a running/walking trail.
If students prefered the exercise classes, they could buy a workout DVD or video to do in their living room.
“I’ve been in that situation where I didn’t have money for the gym, so I forced myself to do other simple things, like running or playing basketball or briskly walking,” Ms Quandt said.
“People forget about hiking. It’s a great, fun workout.”
Once students overcame the money issues associated with exercising, they were still faced with time issues.
For students who were worried about exercising cutting into studying time, Ms Quandt recommended reading textbooks at the gym.
“I use exercise as a reward sometimes, even when I don’t have the time to work out,” Ms Quandt said.
“It helps me get things done.”
“Exercising is the best way to break up studying,” Ms Kloss said.
“If you look at your schedule, you can probably find three or four hours a week to devote to exercise.”
Working out could also help with more than university assignments.
“It [exercising] helps me clear my head, and if I’m overwhelmed with something and I’m thinking about too many things,” Ms Quandt said.
If time and money were equally pressing issues, the Mayo Clinic advised building exercise into everyday activities, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking during lunch breaks or doing jumping jacks during television commercials.
“Dedicated workouts are great, but physical activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too,” Mayo Clinic said.
Image(s) designed by Emma Macmillan