Exercising regularly affects brain function in a positive way. It has been proven that it can be one of your great allies in protecting brain performance.
A not-so-simple connection
The specific benefits of exercise to brain health are one of those things that can catch you by surprise. One could assume that if exercise were really indispensable to our health, you’d get some sort of body signaling to regularly remind you of it. Much like the reminder for eating several times a day is feeling hungry. It’s not so simple to understand how exercise affects the brain, but thankfully, several researchers have dedicated their efforts and critical thinking to make this connection clearer for us all.
The benefits associated with regular exercise have been verified in both animal and human clinical studies around the world.
Let’s consider how exercise can help our brain both now and in later stages of life.
How exercising affects brain function
Short term benefits
So what can we mentally gain if we exercise more? Sutoo and Akiyama state that exercise leads to increased serum calcium levels, which in turn increases brain dopamine synthesis, ultimately regulating various brain functions. It has also been found that exercising not only protects, but also enhances brain function in areas such as learning and memory by increasing synaptic strength (how vigorous the communication between the neurons in your brain is), and also by strengthening plasticity supporting systems such as neurogenesis (the process by which new neurons are produced in the brain), as well as metabolism and vascular function.
Long term benefits
As we age, it is common that deterioration happens in our brains, so our focus should be on protecting brain function. According to research studies, regular exercise has been linked to increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (a family of biomolecules supporting growth, survival, and differentiation of neurons) and neurogenesis. Both of these effects have been associated with slowing down the age-related mental decline as well as with preserving mental capabilities. Other studies suggest that cognitive illnesses such as Parkinson’s and senile dementia, which can affect personality, can also be improved by exercising more. Research also shows that besides Parkinson’s, regular exercise is important in the prevention and treatment of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease.
High intensity exercise has its drawbacks
So how much exercise are we supposed to do? Should we go all in and get sweaty every opportunity we get a chance? As Ploughman points out, moderation in exercise is important. In order to maintain increased levels of neurotrophin (internal proteins that support brain plasticity), a low-intensity exercise must be sustained over a prolonged time. Higher intensity exercise will, on the other hand, elevate the stress hormone corticosterone, commonly associated with reduced cognition.
It’s about time to make a positive change
It seems to be the case that is just not worth being sedentary at all. We know exercise improves brain function. If we want to keep out of the way of our brain’s peak performance, it makes sense to find ways to build moderate exercise routines into our day and stick to them in the long term.