Six Benefits of Exercising in College

There are plenty of excuses for not exercising in college. For example, not having enough time, being too tired, or being too embarrassed to go to the gym. However, the benefits of exercising in college far outweigh any perceived inconveniences. In this article, I describe six benefits of exercising in college.

College Exercise Benefit #1 - Exercise Prevents Weight Gain

The first and most obvious benefit of exercising in college is that college students that exercise are less likely to gain weight. Many new college students are worried about gaining the "freshman fifteen" due to college food and stress eating. Regular cardiovascular exercise can prevent a college student from gaining weight.

College Exercise Benefit #2 - Exercise Boosts Your Immune System

Studies have shown that people that exercise regularly get sick less often. In college, it's important to stay healthy so that you can attend lecture and be sharp mentally. However, colleges are an ideal breeding ground for disease due to the fact that many people from different areas carrying different germs are exposed to each other. Becoming ill before a midterm or final could be disastrous, and many college professors will not go out of their way to help sick students. Spending twenty minutes or half an hour three times a week exercising could keep you healthy and prevent illness from affecting your grades.

College Exercise Benefit #3 - Exercise Can Help You Sleep

It can be difficult to sleep in college. I've written about the topic here. I find that exercise helps me to be tired by the time I go to bed, and also helps me to stay asleep after I fall asleep. Again, getting enough sleep allows you to function better during the day, which improves your college coursework and test-taking ability.

College Exercise Benefit #4 - Exercise Can Boost Your Academic Performance

Cardiovascular exercise can improve a person's circulation. A person's circulation affects the amount of oxygen that reaches that individual's brain. The more oxygen a person's brain gets, the more effectively that person can do mental activities. So if you really want to excel academically in college, you should very seriously consider regular exercise.

College Exercise Benefit #5 - Exercise Can Decrease Stress

Many people find that exercise reduces the amount of stress that they feel. This is due largely to the endorphins that are released as a result of exercise. College is a stressful time, so any healthy options for reducing stress should be considered.

College Exercise Benefit #6 - Exercise Is Good For You Beyond College

Exercise is an investment in your health in many ways. Getting regular exercise reduces the risk of heart disease and other medical conditions, and being active generally improves a person's quality of life.

If you haven't begun to exercise by the time you arrive at college, you should at least give it a shot. There are the above benefits, and most colleges have one or more gyms that students can use for free. Can you think of any other benefits of exercising in college? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the form of a comment. Thank you for reading!