Brain Benefits Of Regular Exercise

Brain benefits of regular exercise.

• Exercise stimulates the development of the brain.
• It stimulates the secretion of hormones that “build” the brain.
• It fights against depression and anxiety.
• It improves the brain’s executive function.
• It reduces the effects of stress.

6.Improve Your Mental Health and Mood.

Exercise Stimulates the development of the brain.

As we age, the birth of new brain cells slows down and the brain tissue actually decreases – and exercise can stop that process. A study involving brain scanning in healthy, but elderly people aged 60-79 showed a significant increase in brain volume after only 6 months of aerobic fitness training – something that did not occur in the control group (which did not exercise) and in those who just did stretching exercises. The reason for this is that cardio exercises improve the blood flow in the brain, and thus the delivery of oxygen (the brain uses 20% of the entire oxygen in the body).

It stimulates the secretion of hormones that “build” the brain.

The chemical known as BDNF stimulates the growth and proliferation (proliferation of certain cellular tissue components) of the brain cells, especially in the hippocampus – the brain region responsible for memory that is vulnerable to memory-related effects that come with aging. The more you practice, the more BDNF is created.

It fights against depression and anxiety.

Depression slows down the brain’s ability to process information, making it more difficult to concentrate and make decisions, and causes memory problems. For severe depression, doctors usually prescribe antidepressants, but for less severe cases exercise can greatly help improve mood as it increases the production of serotonin and dopamine, brain chemicals critical for a positive / happy mood, and the new endorphins increases.

Brain Benefits – It improves the brain’s executive function.

The executive function includes cognitive abilities such as focusing on complex tasks, organizing, abstract thinking, planning future events, and working memory such as the ability to remember the phone number while turning it around.

When researchers analyzed the effects of exercise on executive function, data from 18 well-designed studies found that those aged 55-80 who had regular exercise had 4 times better cognitive tests than control groups that did not exercise. The effects were greatest among those who practiced 30-45 minutes each session over a period longer than six months.

Hormones related to the brain also play an important role in cognitive functioning. Irrespective of age, men might face an imbalance of some important hormones like testosterone which hinders their brain function properly. Testosterone boosters are often recommended for them to gain back the capability. Males over 50 can use these supplements to boost testosterone naturally. 

Brain Benefits – It reduces the effects of stress.

If some hormones like BDNF rejuvenate the brain, others get aging – like the so-called stress hormone cortisol. Slow and “scattered” thinking, as well as forgetting are often caused by stress, and exercise reduces the level of cortisol in the body and helps to generate new nerve cells in the dentate gyrus area located in the hippocampus and is associated with the creation of new memories. Brain cells in this area are spent when we are under stress, and exercise prevents it.

Brain Benefits – Improve Your Mental Health and Mood.

Regular physical activity will facilitate keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age. It can even scale back your risk of depression and will assist you sleep higher. analysis has shown that doing aerobic or a mixture of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities three to five times every week for thirty to hour will offer you these mental state advantages. Some scientific proof has additionally shown that even lower levels of physical activity are often useful.