It’s often hard to keep up with a demanding life and still find time to work out. You may be wondering what will happen if you stop doing regular workouts. This is a common question.

Unfortunately, there are negative consequences to not exercising anymore. So the answer, more accurately, becomes a matter of what you’ll be giving up if you stop exercising.

Before you quit the gym or stop working out at home, think about these effects:

1. Loss of lean muscle mass. If you miss one workout, you probably won’t notice the difference in your muscles. However if you miss several weeks or months of workouts, then the muscles will be affected.

* You can lose lean muscle mass by skipping regular workouts on a long-term basis. If you don’t use your muscles, you can lose them.

* Once your body reaches a certain level of lean muscle mass, it can’t maintain it without more exercise.

2. Possible weight gain. You know that exercise can help manage your weight, so stopping it can cause unpleasant surprises on the scale.

* The weight gain may appear if you don’t adjust your calories and meals. If you continue to eat the same amount as before, your body will store the extra calories since you’re not burning them.

* To prevent this, pay attention to how much food you eat and make adjustments if you can’t work out.

3. Decreased endurance. Your body’s endurance in both strength and aerobics will go down. You may have a harder time cleaning the house, mowing the lawn, gardening with flowers, or doing other tasks.

* Eventually, even walking or going up the stairs can become hard.

4. Brain function is affected in a negative way. Exercise helps increase the flow of oxygen and blood to the brain. Without it, you may have a harder time thinking clearly. You may not remember things as well or concentrate as easily.

* If your brain gets used to a certain amount of oxygen and blood, you may notice the difference.

5. Trouble sleeping. Without regular exercise, you may have more trouble sleeping because of a variety of reasons:

* Many people use exercise to relieve stress and anxiety. However, if you stop doing regular workouts, you may end up staying up late at night and worrying.

* Another thing to consider is that exercise can help promote sleep. If you’re tired after a long day at the gym, then you’re more likely to fall asleep faster at home.

* Research shows that exercise can help fight restless leg syndrome, which keeps many people up at night and affects sleep.

* Studies also show exercise can also lessen sleep apnea for some patients, because this condition is associated with greater weight.

Exercise is essential, but it’s not easy to do it every day. Try to find ways you can incorporate fitness into your daily routines.

Otherwise, you’ll notice a variety of issues ranging from the loss of muscles to weight gain. If you can’t exercise every day, try to do it as often as possible throughout the week.