What Does Cardio Exercise Do? 15 Benefits for Your Mind and Body

Cardiovascular exercise, such as walking, cycling, or rowing, is a main component of a well-rounded fitness program. It can improve your overall health with its numerous benefits and help you live longer and better. 

If you’re interested in incorporating more cardio exercise into your fitness routine, it helps to know all of the incredible things cardio exercise can do for you—including strengthening your muscles, working your respiratory system, and increasing the oxygenated blood flow to your muscles. 

Below, we’ll cover exactly what cardio exercise is and all of the amazing effects it can have on your physical and mental health. Let’s dive in! 

What is cardio exercise?

Cardiovascular exercise—sometimes called endurance exercise or aerobic exercise—is any type of exercise that elevates your heart rate for an extended period of time, and makes your heart, lungs, and cardiovascular system work hard. 

Some examples of common cardio exercises are:

• Walking

• Running

• Cycling

• Rowing

• Skiing

• Swimming

• Hiking

• Jumping rope

• Stair climbing

• Elliptical

What does cardio exercise do?

Cardio exercise as part of a regular, consistent fitness program offers tremendous benefits, including:

• Improves your heart health

• Reduces your risk of heart disease

• Increases your HDL cholesterol and lowers your LDL cholesterol

• Increases your calorie and fat burn

• Improves your mental health

• Lowers your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

• Improves your lung capacity and respiratory function

• Enhances your endurance and physical fitness

• Regulates your blood sugar levels

• Reduces your risk of chronic disease

• Improves your mobility

• Improves your immune system

• Decreases your chance of stroke

• Improves your sleep

• Increases your lifespan and improves your quality of life

Let's dive into each!

1. Improves your heart health

Your heart is a muscle and, like any skeletal muscle, exercising your heart makes it stronger. A stronger heart doesn’t need to beat as fast or as hard, making it more efficient. Exercise also conditions the heart to relax more easily, reducing stress on it.  

2. Reduces your risk of heart disease

Training your heart to be more efficient means your heart rate and blood pressure will be lower as well. This makes for an overall healthier heart and it reduces your risk of developing heart disease.

3. Increases your HDL cholesterol and lowers your LDL cholesterol

Studies show cardio exercise helps to increase the production of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and helps to move low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol out of the body and lower overall levels.

4. Increases your calorie and fat burn 

Working large muscle groups and elevating your heart rate uses energy in the form of burning calories. When paired with a healthy diet, burning calories can create a calorie deficit, resulting in potential fat loss. Reducing weight in the form of fat loss can improve joint health and reduce your risk of developing diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

5. Improves your mental health

Physical activity can reduce tension that is often associated with anxiety and stress, allowing you to relax. Exercise actually reduces stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol and promotes the production of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters. 

6. Lowers your risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

Studies suggest there is a positive effect between regular physical activity and a reduced risk of developing dementia and related symptoms (especially in middle age). Exercise supports improvement in cognition and memory by increasing the secretion of chemicals that support positive brain function. 

7. Improves your lung capacity and respiratory function

Just like when you strengthen your heart, cardio exercise also strengthens your lungs. Strong lungs function more efficiently and make it easier to get oxygen to your blood and muscles. You also won’t need to take in as much oxygen while you’re exercising because of your improved lung function. Plus, the more efficient your lungs are, the less likely you are to become short of breath during exercise or even during regular daily activities.  

8. Enhances your endurance and physical fitness

With a stronger heart and lungs, you’ll have better endurance, which allows you to more easily complete daily life activities. It also allows you to exercise for longer, enhancing all the benefits you get from exercise. Enhanced endurance and physical fitness also helps you recover faster from tough workouts. 

9. Regulates your blood sugar levels

Exercise causes your muscles to use glucose for energy. This helps lower blood glucose and boosts insulin sensitivity. While increased sensitivity is seen even after a single workout session, studies show that the greatest blood sugar regulation benefits come from a long-term, consistent exercise program. 

10. Reduces your risk of chronic disease

Since cardiovascular exercise strengthens your heart, lungs, and muscles among other body systems, it reduces your risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Many chronic diseases are a result of environmental factors or lifestyle choices and can lead to long-term complications, rising healthcare costs, and even death, as a leading cause of death worldwide.

Regular physical activity can help prevent these diseases or keep them from progressing if you’ve already been diagnosed.  

11. Improves your mobility

Cardiovascular exercise improves blood flow to your joints, which makes it easier to move by keeping them lubricated. Exercise also keeps your muscles active, reducing stiffness and tightness. As muscles get stronger, supporting your body while walking and moving around gets easier. 

Many cardio activities, like dancing or running, also challenge your balance and stability, improving your coordination as well. Studies indicate that a structured exercise program can reduce mobility issues, particularly in vulnerable older adults.  

12. Improves your immune system

Cardiovascular activity activates your immune system, which allows you to ward off many common illnesses like the cold and flu. Cardio does this by increasing white blood cell circulation throughout the body. Regular exercise has an overall anti-inflammatory effect on the body, and studies show decreased levels of inflammatory markers in those who perform regular physical activity. 

13. Decreases your chance of stroke

High blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol are all common risk factors for strokes. Since cardiovascular exercise has a positive effect on all of these risk factors, it also reduces your risk for having a stroke. Observational studies have shown a positive connection between regular cardio workouts and reduced stroke risk.

14. Improves your sleep

Exercise can relieve stress, making it easier to fall and stay asleep. Regular physical activity increases the production of melatonin, which helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Additionally, physical activity helps you to better regulate your body temperature, which can help you fall asleep easier.

15. Increases your lifespan and improves your quality of life

With a stronger heart and lungs, better endurance, better blood sugar regulation, and an improved immune system, a longer lifespan and better quality of life are almost inevitable. A literature review in the Journal of Aging Research indicates that regular cardio exercise can increase lifespan by up to eight years. And when you’re strong and physically fit, your quality of life is drastically improved as well.

How much cardio is needed for optimal health? 

Cardiovascular activity is one of the most important components of a comprehensive fitness program. Being consistent and creating a habit of regular exercise will give you maximum benefits. 

The amount of cardio exercise you do may be influenced by your personal goals and current fitness level but for general good health, there is a recommended amount. Both the Centers for Disease Control and the American College of Sports Medicine suggest that healthy adults should get:

• 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise

• This can be broken into 30 minutes of exercise, five days per week 

• Alternatively, you can also do vigorous intensity exercise for 75 minutes a week

While 30 minutes a day may seem like a lot if you aren’t doing anything at all, it can be broken into even smaller chunks to make it easier to get started with a fitness program. And even a little bit of exercise is better than none! If you’re just getting started, consider doing 10–15 minutes a day and work up to 30 minutes over time. 

The benefits of pairing cardio with other exercise

The CDC and ACSM also recommend muscle-strengthening activities at least two times a week for healthy adults. A well-rounded fitness program includes cardiovascular exercise, as well as strength training, flexibility and mobility activities, and rest and recovery.

Cardiovascular exercise alone has many tremendous health benefits, but when you pair it with strength training 2–3 times a week and prioritize stretching and rest, your health benefits get exponentially better. Each type of exercise has different benefits, so combining them allows you to maximize your health. 

Get started with cardio workouts with Hydrow!

Cardiovascular exercise does so many great things for your health, such as reducing your risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease, reducing your blood pressure, reducing your LDL cholesterol, and improving your mood, immune system, and sleep. 

And, working cardiovascular exercise into your daily routine isn’t as hard as it sounds! If you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate cardio exercise into your fitness schedule, consider a Hydrow rowing machine and Hydrow’s extensive library of workouts. Indoor rowers offer an immersive and efficient total-body workout, targeting 86% of your muscle groups in each rowing stroke. And, because rowing is both a cardio and strength workout, all you need is just 20 minutes to torch calories and build strength. 

Hydrow’s workout content is led by our team of world-class Athletes and filmed in gorgeous locations around the world. Our rowing, yoga, Pilates, strength training, mobility training, and circuit training workouts will transport you to stunning global destinations and keep you motivated to come back again and again. 

Learn more about the benefits of rowing and a Hydrow rowing machine today!