Your brain doesn't want you to exercise

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Your brain doesn't want you to exercise]( By Jamie Ducharme Health Correspondent I know, intellectually, that a workout at the end of a long day would not only benefit my long-term health, but also boost my mood and energy almost immediately. Even still, I often can't resist the allure of my couch and a Love Island binge. Why, I began to wonder, do I put off doing something that I'm fully aware would benefit me in multiple ways? It turns out I'm not alone. Humans are hardwired to gravitate toward rest, a holdover from a long-ago time when we needed to conserve our energy for activities crucial to survival, like hunting for food. The problem, of course, is most of us are far less active than our hunter-gatherer ancestors, so we're conserving energy for...more sitting around. That doesn't mean we're doomed to totally sedentary lives, though. We just have to work with our brains instead of against them, finding ways to make physical activity a built-in—and, perhaps more importantly, enjoyable—part of our daily lives. [READ MORE]( Share This Story WHAT ELSE TO READ [The U.S. Hasn’t Seen Syphilis Numbers This High Since 1950]( By Mike Stobbe/AP Rates of other STDs, like gonorrhea and chlamydia, are down or flat. [Read More »]( [U.S. and China Launch Talks to Stem Flow of Fentanyl, in Rare Sign of Cooperation]( By Ken Moritsugu / AP American and Chinese officials met Tuesday to discuss drug trafficking in a rare sign of cooperation. [Read More »]( [Why Skiing Is a Ridiculously Good Workout]( By Markham Heid Skiing—whether alpine or cross-country—offers a unique combination of health benefits. (Originally published in 2018.) [Read More »]( [How to Find a Therapist Who’s Right for You]( By Angela Haupt Here's what to consider before your first session. [Read More »]( [Do Gummy Vitamins Work? Here's What Experts Say]( By Markham Heid They have far more sugar than traditional vitamins. (Originally published in 2019.) [Read More »]( If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme and edited by Angela Haupt. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2024 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.