Applied physiology is a term used to describe the practical applications of physiology in areas such as medicine, sports performance and occupational health. Synonyms for applied physiology include exercise physiology, human physiology, clinical physiology and occupational physiology. Exercise physiology relates to the study of the effects of physical activity on the human body, while human physiology looks at the functions and processes of the body and its organs. Clinical physiology considers the applications of physiological principles in diagnosing and treating disease, and occupational physiology investigates the impact of working conditions on the human body. All of these fields are closely related and rely on a thorough understanding of physiological processes to improve health and performance.