Everyone can agree that any form of physical exercise can help the body stay fit. However, exercise and brain health compliment each other just as much in what they can do to improve mental health and memory.
During the process as we get our heart rates up, physical activity pumps more blood circulating through our bodies as well as oxygen and hormones to the brain, which stimulates the cortex to form new neuronal cell connections. As a result, the body releases the feel good endorphins and happy hormones like serotonin that help lower stress and brighten a glum mood. Yet, it also can prime the brain’s ability to better learn as what was shown in a fascinating Swedish research study.
Just as importantly, cognition is another improvement directly related to exercise and brain health. According to another interesting Swiss study, coordinated sports more physical than aerobic exercise, mattered more for results with staying focused, longer attention spans, the brain’s faster processing speed, reasoning, and general multitasking.
Memory is another key area that can benefit in how exercise and brain health work together from regular aerobic exercise from how it directs blood to two specific regions of the brain dealing with memory. The Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease published a year long study involving a group of people more than 60 years of age. Half the group just did stretching exercises for that year while the other half did the aerobic exercises before being tested for long-term memory. Those that participated in the aerobics had improvement in their memory scores, which is very promising.
Though you may not always be in the mood to get physical and exercise, but you want to try to get motivated in order for your body and brain health to benefit. You may also want to include adding some brain snacks to your menu.
