How Exercise and Physical Activities Can Boost Brain Power

Introduction | Benefits Of Physical Activity | Conclusion |

Introduction

It is an already established fact that engaging in physical activities and exercising supports healthy body weight, strengthens bones and muscles as well as prevents diseases. Aside from these, researchers have found out that exercising also helps to reduce stress and depression as well as encourage increased brain power. However, due to modern living which involves fast food and a sedentary lifestyle, most humans do not engage in as much exercise as they should. There has been a significant drop in outdoor activities requiring a great deal of physicality particularly in the Western world. This has inadvertently caused a huge decline in attention span, focus, concentration and the cognitive abilities of the modern man.

In this article, you will be given more insight into how exercising can help boost your brain power. Keep reading!

Benefits Of Physical Activity And Exercising

The benefits of physical activity as well as regular exercise routines to the human body as a whole are numerous and cannot be overemphasized. Research has shown that not only is exercising beneficial to maintaining good health, it can also be of great help to your memory and cognitive function. Here is a list of some of the many advantages of exercising to the human brain.

1.Ward Off Diseases:

Exercising can increase blood flow to the brain which helps to boost the production of brain cells as well as keep them in a healthy state. Studies suggest that when brain cells are healthy, there is a reduced risk of you developing diseases like Alzheimer’s, cancer and so on.

2.Elevates The Mood:

Observing a regular exercise routine is a great way of relieving stress. This has been proven since exercising stimulates the body to release Endorphins which are also referred to as the “happy hormone”. What this means is that as little as a 30-minute walk can help to brighten your mood if you are feeling down.

3.Reduces The Effects Of Depression

Aside from brightening up your mood, physical activity and exercise can help fight against depression. When you suffer from depression, your brain power slows down considerably. However, taking part in a good dose of exercise causes the release of Serotonin to your system which helps to enhance your mood and combat the symptoms of depression. It is important to note that exercising may only be helpful in the fight of mild forms of depression as severe forms of depression would require a doctor’s attention.

4.Increase Your Thinking And Memory Capacity:

Research has shown that the parts of the brain that are responsible for memory and thinking (the medial temporal cortex and the prefrontal cortex) has a considerable increase in volume in people who take part in regular exercise compared to people who do not. This goes to show that memory and brain power is stronger in people who observe regular exercise routines.

5.Reinforcing Better Focus And Concentration:

A recent study found that children, as well as adults who partake in daily exercise, tend to focus and concentrate better. In addition to this, you can also include meditation and yoga as these also help to improve attention span, focus, and concentration.

6.Helps To Fight Insulin Resistance:

Apart from causing Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance can also affect the optimum functioning of the brain. This might result in a much reduced cognitive ability as you age. However, as you carry out physical activity and exercise, your brain helps your body to become more sensitive to insulin. This will not only reduce your risk of suffering type 2 diabetes but will also increase your brain power as well as cognitive capacity.

7.Relaxes Muscles And Reduces Stress:

Stress causes reduced memory and makes you less productive. However, exercising consistently helps to reduce the effects to stress to your brain, causes you to sleep better and ultimately enhances your brain power as well as increase your productivity.

In Conclusion,

To boost your memory and cognitive capacity, you will require at least a regular exercise routine of moderate degree that lasts about 150 minutes every week. This means that you do not have to engage in high-intensity workout sessions to increase your brain power.

Furthermore, you can make exercising an interesting routine for yourself by choosing the type of exercise routine that suits you best. This means that if jogging or walking does not interest you, you can engage in other workout routines such as dancing, swimming or even running. You can also combine household chores such as gardening and other household activities. Ultimately, be sure you are not living a sedentary lifestyle.

In addition to this, if you feel you might lose interest while you engage in an exercise routine all by yourself, you can hire a personal trainer, join a workout class, engage a family member or friend. This way, exercise, and physical activity will become fun and you can be certain that you are taking charge of your health and building your brain power.