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Exercise & Your Brain

Surprising Ways That Exercise Helps Your Brain

By: Royane Real

You already know that exercising will benefit your body, but did you know that physical exercise helps your brain as well?

Does that surprise you?

We often forget that the brain is a part of the body, and if you really want your brain to function at its absolute best, getting some physical exercise is an important part of keeping your brain happy.

Numerous studies in humans and animals have found that the brain benefits from physical exercise.

Benefits of Exercise

Here are some of the ways exercise helps your brain work better:

• Exercise improves the oxygenation of the blood.
• Exercise helps lower blood pressure. High blood pressure takes a toll on brain cells and greatly contributes to the danger of stroke.
• Exercise improves circulation of blood within the brain.
• Physical activity strengthens the heart, which is the pump that keeps everything going.
• Exercise reduces the levels of artery-clogging cholesterol.
• Exercising regularly can help relieve depression.
• It improves mood and self-esteem.
• Exercise helps keep blood sugar level, which is very important, particularly for diabetics.
• Exercise can boost the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, which not only affect mood, but also help "lock in" memories when they form.
• In animal studies, exercise appears to enhance the production of nerve growth factor, which helps the cells of the brain form new connections with each other.

If you aren't currently actively exercising, you might think that you are in a minority. You might assume that almost everyone else but you is busy running, swimming, biking, hiking, and lifting weights. The truth is that only a minority of adults exercises consistently.

What sorts of exercises will help your brain as well as your body? To improve the capacity of your heart and lungs, aerobic exercises are the best. This means the kind of exercise where you tax your body enough to raise your heart beat rate to a target level.

To gain aerobic benefits for your heart, lungs and circulatory system, aim to achieve a target heart rate that is 50 % more than your rate at rest. You don’t need to work up a sweat for your heart and lungs to benefit. You shouldn't overdo it either.

Learn to keep up a steady pace that still allows you to talk comfortably with a friend. To improve your aerobic capacity, exercise aerobically for about 20 minutes three or four times a week.

A form of exercise that can greatly improve the oxygenating capacity of the heart and lungs is swimming, especially swimming under water. The amount of time you spend holding your breath while swimming under water should be built up gradually.

Swimming under water should not be attempted if you have any form of heart or blood vessel disease unless you have clearance from your doctor.

Another type of exercise that can be very beneficial for the brain is some form of mind-body exercise. There are many schools and variations of mind-body exercises, including yoga, tai-chi, and chi-gung.

People who practice mind-body exercises regularly report they experience reduced stress, increased calmness, and greater clarity of thinking.

For many people, the most easily accessible and universally beneficial form of exercise is walking. You can walk alone or with others. You can walk indoors or outdoors. A walk can be part of a formal program, or an individual ramble through a favorite neighborhood or nature area.

Is it better to walk slowly or quickly? It’s up to you. Some people find that a brisk walk is a great stress reliever, while others get more peace from a very slow and meditative walk. Your mind will benefit more if you stay totally focussed in the moment, rather than using this time to continue dwelling on your problems.

How much should you exercise? Whatever you choose to do it is important that you continue to do it regularly.

Exercising vigorously for three hours on the weekend will not make up for a sedentary lifestyle the rest of the week. It will also leave you exhausted and sore, and unwilling to exercise again.

Choose an activity that you really enjoy. Don’t pick anything too strenuous to begin with if you are not used to exercising. Aim to exercise at least four times a week or more, for at least half an hour at a time, up to an hour.

If you are over forty, are out of shape, or have some medical condition, check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

This article is taken from the new book by Royane Real titled How You Can Be Smarter – Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better, and Be More Creative. If you want to learn how to use your brain better download it today or get the paperback version by clicking here.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as medical advice.

 

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