Exercise And Boost Your Brain Power, Stay Young Forever

If you thought that you don't need exercise because you have aced your physical fitness, it's time to reconsider the idea. Regular exercise, according to multiple researches over the years, has been found to significantly improve your brain functioning. While there are plenty of physical benefits of exercise like reducing heart disease risk, preventing diabetes, weight loss and strength building, the effect of exercise on learning, memory, attention and brain power are also immense. The positive effects of working out on our brain are primarily due to the release of growth chemicals while we exercise. These chemicals lead to the growth of new blood vessels and cells in the brain that provide the brain more oxygen and glucose. It also results in increase in the volume of certain regions responsible for controlling problem-solving, decision-making and memory in the brain.

Here are 5 amazing ways in which exercise helps in improving your brainpower:

1. Increases mental performance and intelligence

Exercising leads to the secretion of norepinephrine, a hormone responsible for attention and perception. Moreover, as the oxygen supply to your brain increases with exercise, the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain involved in reasoning and planning becomes more active. According to research at the University of Illinois, regular exercising also allows you to process information more quickly. Additionally, a study published in Brain and Cognition found that after just 30 minutes of doing an easy half-hour bike ride, subjects completed a cognitive test faster than they did before exercising, and with the same accuracy.

2. Boosts memory and concentration

Regular exercising helps in keeping the neurons in the memory areas of your brain in shape. Exercises like walking, biking, running and dancing boost the health and vitality of the hippocampus, which is our brain's memory center. The hormone dopamine, which regulates learning and attention is also positively affected by working out, especially, by performing aerobic exercises.

3. Reduces reaction time and keeps you young

People who sit for more than 8-10 hours a day are at a higher risk of developing dementia since their brain then ages faster. Regular exercise for 20 minutes every day helps in regenerating adult nerve cells and slowing down the ageing of your brain. The impairment of cells and coordination loss is avoided as blood flow throughout your body increases, and so the risk of getting Alzheimer's disease also goes down.

4. Prevents anxiety and emotional disorders

With exercise the level of endorphin, or 'feel-good' neurotransmitters in your body, increases and your feeling of worry will diminish. Additionally, the realignment of focus from the worrying concern shifts to the work-out, gives your brain some respite from the negative thoughts. It also calms down your nerves. Running, yoga and stretching are some good ways to boost your happiness and combat depression. Exercising is also known to boost production of serotonin in your body, which is commonly called a mood booster.

5. Induces a good sleep

Exercise during the day time allows you to sleep better at night. This is because the intense workout tunes your body's circadian rhythm, commonly called the biological clock, to the level that matches your body's needs. A good night's sleep is important for continued focus, effective listening and quick-thinking. Disturbed sleeping sleep can also mean that you eat more, leading to weight gain and diabetes. It is however important that that you do not exercise immediately before going to bed as the increase in energy levels and arousal may prevent you to sleep quickly.

Clearly, exercising is not only important to keep your muscles, organs and body in good shape but also to keep your brain fit. Not just this, regular exercising will help you improve your cognitive functioning to a higher level than you previously possessed.

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