How can exercise improve blood circulation?

Many experts recommend doing exercise or at least moving around to improve blood circulation. This is because exercise leads muscles to require more oxygen, which improves blood circulation.

Current medical science proves the old adage that "a man is as old as his arteries (blood vessels)," because we now know that blood vessels transport vital oxygen-rich blood to all body tissue. Maintaining artery health (blood vessel health) is thus analogous to maintaining overall health.

Endothelial cells line the inside of blood vessels and perform a variety of functions, the most important of which is the production of nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is essential for keeping the lining of blood vessels smooth and slippery, preventing white blood cells and platelets from adhering and causing inflammation or blood clots. Aside from that, it relaxed the muscle cells in blood vessels to prevent spasms and keep arteries open.

A study of four groups of healthy people: young exercisers, young non-exercisers, elderly exercisers, and elderly non-exercisers discovered that while age had a significant impact on endothelial function and nitric oxide production, it had a smaller and more gradual impact on people who exercised regularly. This demonstrates that exercise does, in fact, keep blood vessels young!

Regular exercise benefits blood vessels by increasing nitric oxide production in endothelial cells, thereby maintaining oxygen supply throughout the body and heart health!

When you have a poor blood supply, your extremities, such as your hands and legs, are often affected.

Here are some exercises to improve blood circulation in your extremities;

Ankle rotation
Walking
Heel and toe raises
Knee flexions
Squat
Using exercise ball
Yoga movement that requires movement of hands and legs

In conclusion, because exercise is essential for maintaining healthy blood vessels, body movement will help in some ways to maintain healthy blood vessels. So get moving and don't be a couch potato!