Exercise has a whole host of benefits, including weight control and improved cardiovascular health. But did you know that it can also boost cognitive function? Research shows that exercise can help protect against cognitive decline and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Here's what the latest science says about how exercise boosts our brain power:
Exercise helps your brain stay young.
Exercise can help your brain stay young. A growing body of research shows that regular physical activity protects against age-related cognitive decline and improves brain function in people with dementia.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which helps deliver oxygen, nutrients, and other chemicals needed for optimal cognitive function. Exercise also increases brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels, a protein that protects neurons from damage and supports their growth.
Exercise improves learning and memory.
When you exercise, the body releases a chemical called BDNF, which helps your brain grow new neurons. This is especially important in the area of memory and learning.
Exercise also increases blood flow to the brain and improves mood--both of which can improve cognition by making it easier for you to focus on what's in front of you instead of being distracted by stress or anxiety.
In addition, regular workouts help keep our minds sharp: They're associated with better scores on standardized tests like SATs or GREs (the graduate school entrance exam), as well as higher grades at school overall!
Exercise can help you prevent cognitive decline.
Exercise is a great way to keep your brain sharp and may even help you prevent cognitive decline as you age. Studies show that regular physical activity has been shown to improve memory and learning, maintain or improve brain health as we age, increase blood flow to the brain (which is important for its functioning), and increase overall brain function in people with dementia.
Exercise can improve brain function in people with dementia.
Exercise can help reduce the risk of dementia. Research suggests that regular exercise can help improve cognitive function in people with dementia and reduce depression and anxiety.
In one study published in Neurology, researchers compared the effects of aerobic exercise on older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to those who did not exercise at all. After six months, those who participated in aerobic training improved their thinking abilities more than those who didn't exercise at all or participated in strength training only. In another study published in Alzheimer's Disease & Associated Disorders, participants were assigned either an aerobic fitness program or stretching exercises for six weeks; after this period, both groups were asked to continue exercising at home for an additional six months--and again after another year had elapsed without any further intervention from researchers or therapists! The results showed that both groups significantly improved their performance on tests measuring memory recall over time: Those who continued exercising showed greater gains than those who stopped after six weeks--though both groups saw improvements compared to where they started out at baseline!
Regular physical activity can help maintain or improve brain health as we age.
As we age, our brains naturally lose some of their plasticity and ability to adapt. But regular physical activity can help maintain or improve brain health as we age.
Research shows that exercise can help prevent cognitive decline, slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, improve brain function in people with dementia, and even protect against stroke--all of which impact cognitive function.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain.
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which means more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to your noggin. More oxygen and nutrients mean better cognitive function for you!
You may think that exercise is only good for physical health, but it also has benefits for mental health as well. Research has shown that regular exercise can help improve memory, attention span (or focus), learning ability, reaction time--even emotional stability!
It doesn't take much exercise to get results.
- Exercise is not a one-size fits all. The more you do, the better!
- The benefits of exercise are cumulative. If you don't have time for an hour-long workout today, that's okay--you can still reap some cognitive benefits by doing just 30 minutes of physical activity (or less).
- Studies show that even moderate physical activity levels may help improve memory and mental processing speed in older adults with mild cognitive impairment or early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
The brain craves novelty and challenge.
Exercise increases brain volume, connectivity, and neurogenesis. The brain is a complex organ that requires constant stimulation to maintain its structure and function. Exercise may be one of the best ways to protect against age-related decline in cognitive function.
Brain volume: It's long been known that aerobic exercise can increase the size of your hippocampus--a part of your brain responsible for memory storage and retrieval--by as much as two percent over just six months! A recent study found that people who participated in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) saw significant increases in gray matter volume after just 12 weeks compared to those who did steady-state cardio or no exercise. This suggests HIIT could help prevent age-related memory loss by increasing blood flow through major arteries leading into our brains and stimulating new growth within certain regions like our prefrontal cortex, which controls executive functions such as decision-making ability.
Get your body moving, and your brain will thank you.
Exercise is the best way to get your body moving, and your brain will thank you. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, so more oxygen gets there, helping you think more clearly. It can also help with mood and sleep quality.
Exercise helps you deal with stress in several ways: by increasing endorphins (the chemicals released during exercise that make us feel happy), improving self-esteem and confidence so we're better equipped to handle stressful situations at work or home; plus, it gives us an outlet for any pent-up frustrations we might be feeling through physical activity like running, weightlifting or yoga classes.
Exercise is a natural way to boost your brain power. It's easy to do and has many benefits, including a reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Exercise can even help reverse some of the effects of aging on your brain! So get moving today--we promise it will make you feel better overall.
