What Happens When We Exercise?

When you exercise, your body undergoes a series of remarkable changes, impacting nearly every system. Let's explore what happens:

Your heart rate and breathing accelerate to supply increased oxygen and nutrients to your working muscles. Exercise sends oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. This improved efficiency leads to better cardiovascular health over time. Increased cellular metabolism during exercise leads to increased coronary blood flow through vasodilation (widening of blood vessels) and capillary bed recruitment (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482280/). Your heart muscle strengthens, allowing it to pump more blood with each beat. (https://drscottlear.com/2021/02/10/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-exercise/)

Muscles utilize stored energy (glucose and fats) for fuel. Intense exercise leads to lactic acid production as a byproduct. (https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/what-happens-to-my-body-when-i-exercise) Regular exercise leads to increased muscle strength and endurance. ([Exercise boosts energy](Reference provided))

Hormones are released, impacting various processes. These include converting fat into glucose for energy, reducing pain perception, and improving mood. (https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/what-happens-to-my-body-when-i-exercise)

Postexercise Effects

After exercise, your body continues to adapt. Postexercise hypotension (lowered blood pressure) and sustained vasodilation are common occurrences. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22872658/, https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/expphysiol.2011.058065) Your body continues to repair and rebuild muscle tissue.