Effect of Exercise On Our Brains

Have you ever noticed that mental clarity you have after exercising? That’s due to the increased blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Exercise also boosts the production of new brain cells, helping to support memory, cognitive function and learning. This all helps to keep age-related dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases at bay.

Exercise also boosts the production of happy hormones and endorphins such as dopamine, serotonin and GABA. This all means that exercise not only keeps our body happy, it keeps our brains healthy too, and it’s the biggest preventative and therapeutic measure for depression. These chemicals are also the reason why we sometimes experience post-exercise euphoria.

During exercise, the brain initially registers a stressful condition. To protect against stress, the brain also releases a chemical called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). BDNF protects and repairs neurons in the brain and also acts as a reset switch. It’s due to BDNF that we have such focus after exercising.

Research has also found that BDNF has a rejuvenating effect too. BDNF stimulates the growth of new neurons, essential for cognitive function. Exercise helps protect neurons from damage and encourages interactions between them as we think, learn and form memories. It helps protect the blood vessels of the brain and slows down the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by changing the way the protein plaques that cause the disease, build up.

All of these feel good chemicals work in a similar way to morphine and heroin, without the damaging side effects, and they can be just as addictive! And an addiction to feeling good through exercise can only be a good thing.

Brain scans show areas of heightened activity after just a 20-minute walk over those who had been sedentary. This shows that in order to feel good, and have an active and focused brain, you don’t need to live the life of a professional athlete. Just 20 minutes a day is enough to reap the rewards, and for it to make a difference to your body weight and shape. Leaving you to enjoy treats without a guilty conscience. If, like me, you sit in front of a computer all day, taking regular breaks and exercise is crucial. Even standing up every ten minutes (using a helpful timer) to move about, or using a standing desk is a hugely powerful habit.

So exercise is key, and the benefits sure outweigh the mental blocks and pain that we feel during exercise. So get those training shoes on, get outside and get moving!