Final answer:
Weight training offers numerous cognitive and mental health benefits including protection against dementia, enhanced cognitive function, and improved mood regulation equivalent to antidepressants. It also contributes to overall physical fitness, increased muscle strength, and cardiovascular health, improving life expectancy and quality of life.
Step-by-step explanation:
Weight training can have myriad benefits for physical health, but it also significantly contributes to cognitive function and mental health. Studies have shown that physical exercise, including weight training, can protect against neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia. Engaging in regular physical activity is associated with a substantial 59 percent reduction in dementia risk. In fact, aerobic exercises enhance cognitive function in older adults.
The mental health benefits of physical exercise extend to mood regulation as well, with evidence suggesting that regular physical activity can work as effectively as pharmaceutical antidepressants for mild-to-moderate depression. Additionally, it reduces stress and promotes higher self-esteem. Anaerobic exercises, like weight training, specifically contribute to increased muscle strength, while aerobic exercises improve cardiovascular health and muscular endurance.