Many scientific studies have shown that moderate aerobic exercise has great benefits for both physical health. For maximal benefit, it is recommended that we moderately exercise for at least 150 minutes a week. The many benefits of exercise include weight maintenance, increased overall strength, sustained or improved cardiovascular health, and overall improved balance and flexibility. But as equally important is the relationship between exercise and brain health. The research shows that exercise can actually increase the size of the memory regions of the brain and, therefore, improve the storage and recall of memories.
Exercise Daily To Keep Your Brain Fit
Aerobic exercise like walking, running, or biking seems to have the most significant effect on brain health. This is because aerobic exercise increases heart rate, and in turn, more blood is pumped to the brain. Weightlifting can also positively impact brain health in the same way. Other benefits of exercise include reducing inflammation, decreased stress levels, and improved physical brain health. We could also say that exercise nourishes the brain because the increased blood flow resulting from exercise plays a key role in delivering important nutrients the brain needs to perform its many functions.
Studies suggest that exercise can increase brain volume and reduce shrinkage in important regions for memory and learning. Another set of studies showed that exercise improves the function of microglia. Microglia are brain cells that protect the brain’s immune system by filtering out microbes or damaged cells. The improvement of microglia’s function reduces inflammation and, in turn, improves brain function. So, this means that exercise can help us maintain cognitive abilities like learning, problem-solving, and concentrating, and in turn, delay or possibly completely deter the onset of dementia.
Exercise Alone Isn’t Enough
For maximum benefit, physical exercise can be coupled with mentally challenging activities. Mentally challenging activities include but are not limited to learning a new language or playing a musical instrument, working on crossword puzzles, reading, and picking up a new hobby. Another way for adults to stay sharp is by completing mental exercises online. There is a wide array of software programs with many different types of activities for adults to remain challenged. Most of these are reasonably priced and can be done from the comfort of one’s own home.
It is important to point out that not all studies have found evidence of the benefits of exercise on brain health. However, there is a very significant amount that has. This could be related to what type of exercises or physical program was used or what cognitive tests were used to measure brain function. But if we take into account just the positive physical effects of exercise on our health, it is literally a “no-brainer” (pun intended), to do it consistently.
